Intruder Alert 3: Transition
by Frostmourne
Summary: Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything. But they’re up for another roller coaster ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue. (COMPLETE-sequel to IA: Take Two)
1. The Start of Old Life’s Resurge?

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition 

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication:** the original esca chick, Always Dreaming, Moon Smurf, Night of the Raven, fallen-dark-angel, Laochgael, My Silver Flame, Catelina, monkeybaby7, naria4, supergirl6, Izzy, SabrinaYutsuki, who cares4, Fuzzie, one_mean_rabbie, Princess Neptune, Diesty-chan, Kat-Tastrophe, dilly-sammas luver, MysticalDreamer32, DillyChic16, mel_88, CeCe, anime_luver, Aya_chan, Wendera Jade, Magicman/Smokegirl, Banana Flavored Eskimo, aznangel,           , Very evil daughter of Lord Vol, Smiles9, AFCAMistress, Amy, Colerachel, megami04, LazyCat9@aol.com and to MargGeiger@aol.com 

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 1: The Start of Old Life's Resurge?**

"Dilandau, what's wrong? Aren't you happy?"

Red eyes diverted to Mr. Albatou. But then as strange as it seemed to Donkirk, he saw red eyes glittering more than normal. 'Must be the light. Dilandau wouldn't cry. Not for happiness, not for pain.'

Dilandau slowly sat back on his chair and stared at the conference room's ceiling. And when he decided to say something, his voice sounded weird to his own ears for somehow, he could almost hear the pain in it. "She'd go back to Allen."

Donkirk stood rooted to where he stood and looked at his son. 'Why isn't he happy?' "What's wrong?"

Silver locks of hair fluttered in the air slightly as he straightened up and shook his head. "Nothing's wrong," said he as he forced himself to gain back his old uncaring self. "I was just trying out how a sentimental movie would be. Guy feels crushed and girl goes away scenario. It's a chance of a lifetime for me to try that out."

His cold laugh echoed in the room and then he continued. "But it was stupid. It felt stupid." He shrugged and walked towards the door, eyes turning hard and indifferent with each step he took. "I'd go ahead then. I wasted too much time locking myself up in my room."

Donkirk was certainly puzzled. First his son comes in and wants to talk to Hitomi, then the next minute they're both fighting, and then after the engagement is off he looked pained and then the next moment he's being disdainful and now he's all cold and detached.

'Oh well. My son has always been an enigma.'

"Yukari,"

Yukari stopped on her way to her room and entered her father's slightly opened study room door. "Yes, daddy?"

"I need to talk to you for a moment."

"But dad, I need to finish packing my things. I have a flight for Japan a couple of hours from now."

"I know that. But this is regarding your friend."

Yukari's brows drew together in confusion and she sat down in the chair in front of her father's chair. "Who?"

"Hitomi."

She leaned forward in a graceful manner and looked interested. "What about Hitomi, daddy?"

Her father smiled slightly. "How would you like it if she'd come back and stay with us?"

Her eyes widened and soon she squealed with joy and hugged her father. "Oh daddy! That's great!"

Mr. Uchida smiled more. "Then you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all! Daddy, you're the greatest! That's the best thing you could give me! Better than my pocket money for the trip later!"

He laughed. "I couldn't resist. Seeing you gave up your favorite shopping trips just to have money for a trip to Japan."

"Oh daddy, you don't know how I missed her."

"You'd be surprised at how much I know. She was a true friend and that's hard to find especially with all those people trying to be your friend for your popularity."

Yukari nodded. "So she'll study here again?"

"Yes."

She squealed happily again.

~*Two days later*~

"I'm going to school."

The three occupants of the table looked at her.

"You can't," Hiko said immediately.

"Your brother is right." Mr. Kanzaki added while Mrs. Kanzaki nodded her approval.

"But how come Hiko would go back to school now and I can't? I'm really alright if that's what's worrying everyone. Please let me go to school."

"What would you do there? Get yourself even more hurt?" Hiko shot at her.

"There's no need to be protective," she countered back. "It's not like I can't handle them."

"I will protect you just like you always protected me. You cannot go to school."

Hitomi glared at her brother. "I have my studies to mind you know." She looked at her parents. "Just let me finish this. The school would end soon anyway. I just want to settle everything on my studies."

They stayed quiet for a while before her father nodded.

Students whispered to each other again as she walked down the hall towards her first class. She ignored them and stopped in front of the science lab. She hesitated for a while before opening the door. Her classmates looked at her but she didn't look back and instead stared at her shoes intently.

"She's still a student in this class, whether or not the issue had been settled," a voice interrupted.

The students stood up and greeted their science teacher.

Hitomi looked at the person behind her and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, sir Fanel."

Folken nodded. "It's nice to see you. I'm glad you don't give up easily."

"I'm one of your *children*. We don't give up just yet especially here in school."

"Good. Now go to your seat."

She nodded.

"She's really here?"

"Yeah, I saw her this morning."

Celena gritted her teeth. 'Why can't they all stop talking about someone?'

"Celena, temper okay?" Merle asked for assurance.

Albatou Celena nodded curtly and fought for control over her temper.

Everyone was quiet in the locker room, feeling the emanating rage that Dilandau was trying so hard to keep in check.

"Damn it!" Dilandau exclaimed in a heated tone. He slung his bag on his shoulder and stormed out of the room.

They looked at each other.

"I therefore conclude that when the two have been absent from school, they haven't settled their fight yet," said Van, trying to lighten up the mood.

The rest nodded.

"Why can't they just get along?"

Gatti looked amusedly at Chesta. "They're both stubborn and feisty. And the bad part is that they usually have the knack of arguing with each other. But neither would back down. And simple banters soon evolve into full-scale fights."

"Yeah. But somehow, I really think this is really serious," Dalet put in, shaking his head slightly.

Guimel suddenly thought of something. "Do you think they have had a cool-off?"

"I don't think so," Viole disagreed. "As I told you, Hitomi seemed pretty much in the mood to apologize. And seeing Dilandau act around Hitomi, I doubt that he'd be able to put up a hard wall on her."

"So what then?" Miguel asked.

"Another girl?" Van joked.

The rest laughed at Van's joke but Viole suddenly became rigid. And they took notice of that.

Miguel looked at him. "Something wrong?"

Viole nodded. "I think I may have an idea on what happened."

"So what do you think happened then?" Guimel prodded.

"Well, before Dilandau had himself absent for a couple of days, Hitomi had already been absent. Maybe he wanted to fix the fight with her but since Hitomi's not coming to school, he wanted to go to her."

"There was a day that he went home during lunch time then he started not going to school." Chesta said in a thoughtful voice.

"Well, the time he did that, Merle and I decided to go to the rooftop since Dilandau had decided to vacate the place for that time," Viole continued. "From there, we did saw Manhattan's car somewhere near the gate. So if Dilandau went home at that time---"

"He could have met up with Manhattan and Hitomi had found out one way or another and she suddenly got jealous!" Dalet concluded.

"Or Hitomi could've gone to school and saw Dilandau with Manhattan." Gatti suggested. "And knowing how Manhattan was all over Dilandau, she could've been kissing him!"

"Or there could be something more," Miguel interrupted.

The others nodded.

"We'll know soon," said Van. "News could fly faster than expected."

He was pretty much pissed off. Why can't he just push her out of his mind? Why can't she just freaking stop messing with him?

He goes home after the engagement is off to forget about everything and when he enters his room, his sanctuary, he sees things that remind him of her. When he tries to sleep, she's still there and what's bad was that the image of her was that of when she had been hurt because of this blasted misunderstanding with Clover. And when he goes to school, whether or not she is present, people are talking about her thus reminding him of her again. Even at soccer practice with all of Coach Sakima's screeching, he could still picture her.

'Damn! Can't life get any more complicated?!' He asked himself sarcastically. 'I might as well go home before I really get even more pissed off and start really losing my temper.'

With heavy feet she walked towards the school gate. She was going to take a taxi home as she had pleaded her parents to allow her of. She needed to be in a different atmosphere. No limo or private car that would remind her of Dilandau's car and Dilandau for that matter. And certainly no motorcycle reminding her of how she used to be so close to him physically speaking.

But then, a red convertible stopped before her. And she couldn't help but blink again and again to see if she had been dreaming up the people she saw.

However, she was almost tackled to the ground when two stunning girls launched themselves on her for a hug.

"Oh heavens! Hitomi!" The girls squealed happily while alternately hugging her. "We missed you!"

Her instincts took over. She smiled and hugged them back. "Missed you all," said she in a genuinely happy voice of a popular Hitomi Kanzaki. "What---"

"We missed you so much!" Millerna said in loud happy voice.

"Oh yeah!!" Yukari said in an equally loud happy voice.

"Ehem."

The three looked at the owner of the voice who was smiling at them with a knowing look. "Give loverboy Allen a chance on creamer Tomi okay?"

Millerna and Yukari grinned and drew away from Hitomi who was smiling widely. "Gades!" She walked towards him and gave him a hug before looking around and seeing Amano and hugging him, too.

"Hey, time to hug boyfriend. He'd get jealous you know," Amano kidded with a wink.

She drew away and looked at the handsome blonde guy leaning on the car. He straightened and walked towards her. Flashing his charming smile at her, he bent down and hugged her.

The rest smiled knowingly at each other. Seconds later before she withdrew, Allen wrapped an arm around her small waist.

"Sarah, meet Hitomi," Allen introduced. "My… what should I call you now, Tomi?"

Hitomi smiled even more and just shook her head in amusement. "Just Tomi, Allen. Just Tomi."

He couldn't move at the sight not far away from him. Hitomi was there, surrounded by a bunch of good-looking people who fit the description Hiko gave him of Hitomi's friends. And they do look exactly like the ones he saw in the picture except for one.

Their laughter could be heard from where he was. And from their faces, it wouldn't take a second guess to know that they are blissfully happy together.

Just looking at Hitomi and her boyfriend who had an arm wrapped around her waist, he was already feeling his temper rise even more. And with the blonde guy bending down to kiss her, he's really going to lose it unless he gets them out of his sight.

Gritting his teeth heatedly, he turned back towards the school building.

Allen bent down and gave Hitomi a kiss on her cheek.

"Allen, we're in a public place you know." Amano reprimanded. "And people here do not even know that you and Hitomi are---"

"Oh zip it, Amano." Millerna turned to Hitomi. "They've missed each other so much. A simple kiss on the cheek wouldn't hurt."

Amano rolled his eyes as Yukari and Gades laughed at him. He turned to Sarah for support but she was giggling. "Alright. Whatever. So, shall we go somewhere for a chat?"

Hitomi suddenly cocked her head to the side. "How did you guys---"

"We had budget cuts and we came here. We're staying at my aunt's place but it's generally empty with just a couple of maids since my aunt is in Canada. When we came here, we would've rushed to you but we were so dead beat and then we had to plan on this appearance you know."

Gades nodded. "Yukari is right. We had to plan and also get rid of our jetlag. Anyway, we didn't want you fainting out of shock."

Green eyes sparkled at the joke. "I'm not the damsel in distress type and you know that. But since you put it that way, perhaps you could start treating me as a lady, my servant."

They all laughed and Gades smiled widely. "Hmm. You've grown cheeky. Would this mean you're actually snapping at people here?"

She just shook her head. "Hey, I'm nice mind you."

"Hey, where's your brother?"

She looked up at Allen. "Why, suddenly shifted your like from me to my brother?"

Allen just smiled. "Nah. I was just wondering. Wouldn't want him charging in on me. Last time I checked, your brother is a black belt in Karate."

"Scared?" Sarah kidded. "Millerna told me Hitomi can also pack a smack even with no formal martial arts lessons."

"She'd never beat me up you know."

Hitomi frowned at the implication. "Did Hiko and you have a tiff that ended in a fist fight?"

Allen immediately smiled with assurance. "No, no. Really no."

Amano sought for an excuse. Obviously, Hitomi's perception was again working and she was not buying Allen's answer. 'Good god! What if she finds out that Hiko hit Allen before they went here?'

"Aren't we blocking the path?" Sarah interrupted, giving Amano and the others a quick and assuring glance. "I mean we still are here by the gate. Isn't it a bit uncomfortable to bond here? There's a lot of catching up to do and standing in here isn't exactly a very good option for a setting on a get-together."

Hitomi's mind drifted away from the topic at Sarah's logical explanation. "Oh yeah. My place then?"

"NO!!!" The rest shouted in unison.

A frown crept up Hitomi's pretty face. 'What is wrong with them? It's not like Hiko would do something bad.' "Something wrong?"

The rest shifted and smiled uncomfortably. But Sarah again rescued them. "Well, it would be like disturbing your parents with our ruckus and all. Your brother might throw a fit."

"Hiko might and he could lash out." Hitomi nodded in understanding. "So where to then?"

"My place," Yukari suggested.

A thought suddenly crossed Hitomi's mind. It was that of the person she was thinking about moments ago before she was allowed by fate to be forgetfully happy with her friends' arrival.

"Something wrong, Tomi?" Allen asked gently.

She shook her head clear of the thoughts on Dilandau's food preparations for her and forced a smile. "I was just wondering about something. But never mind. Shall we go now? We're crowding the way as Sarah had mentioned earlier."

They nodded and tried their best to fit in the red convertible Allen was driving earlier.

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **Just as I promised, here's the sequel of the sequel. I hope that made sense. Anyway, as early as now I'm laying down my plans. It seems to me that **they evolved to having a complicated relationship between them** and since everyone seems to be alright with their pace, I think **this might reach more than ten chapters. However, I'm ****sticking to my ten-chapter policy so I might divide this. Not to worry though, that's still not concreted yet so I might actually manage to end this earlier.**

      Well anyway, I brought Hitomi's friends here. To those who had been asking about them, here they are. ^^, But I'm handling Dilandau and Hitomi first before Tomi's gang really starts entering the scenes.

      **To Laochgael, don't hate people with the name Clover. They're not all the same as the Clover here.**

      **To anime_luver, if that had you crying, I think you'd kill for something I'm planning on. My sister just wanted to choke me when I told her about it. She said I was bad.**

      **To Wendera Jade, you skipped class for the last ones? Oh goodness! Really so sorry. I didn't mean for you to do that. And you ate much while reading… I hope it didn't make you have indigestion. I really apologize. And the hunger strike is bad… very bad for your health.**

      **To Magicman, I didn't read anything about you saying Smokegirl is in tears *whistles innocently* and ****to Smokegirl, yeah… you have something in your eye *nods***

      **To         , considering a writing career is highly unlikely. I mean it's not really that I don't like writing but it's just that people here don't really approve of my sister and me writing stuff even when our teachers are saying we could try it out.**

      **To Very evil daughter of Lord Vol, it's amazing that what you said strikes so close to what I have in store for this one. This is going to be long because of that part. Don't go telling others about it *begs* I can't take the pressure.**

      **To AFCAMistress, Clover's just one of those girls that had a past with Dilandau. Oh well, can't exactly put up a chapter just for her. I mean this story is longer than it should be. Warcraft 3 *smiles* that's where my sister got her suggestion. ^_~**

      **To Colerachel, you actually go to check on my bio. You know the title of my next one. *smiles* About being involved… *laughs* I actually didn't think anyone would be involved when I started this. And being in the faves, that's flattering. ^^,**

      **To everyone who wanted a happy ending, I'm **still melancholic **so allow me to lose this before I finish this up because it is affecting my brain seriously as shown in the one-shot I posted before this (if anyone bothered to look). So if this is so substandard like that, just excuse me for it and give me a chance please.**

      **Special thanks to everyone who left me reviews and feedbacks through e-mail. Thank you so much. I appreciate it very much and it really helped me pull out of my gloom enough to make this one. I hope people would still review even if this is not so good.**


	2. Know what's behind

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition 

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne or anyone here except the OCs so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **SabrinaYutsuki, the original esca chick, Wendera Jade, One_Mean_Rabbit, Diesty-chan, DillyChic16, Magicman/Smokegirl, Honeypot, Moon Smurf, Aya_chan, My Silver Flame, supergirl6, Always Dreaming, flamecaster-recca, naria4, Laochgael, Kat-Tastrophe, Izzy, Catelina, who cares4, Colerachel, Smiles9, Jounin  and to AFCAMistress

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 2: Know what's behind**

He slammed his door shut. He hated the day. He hated everything and everyone especially Hitomi for flirting. No. It sounded wrong. He hated everyone especially the blonde guy named Allen for flirting with Hitomi and including him self for being annoyed by the fact that Allen was flirting with his annoying ex-fiancée.

Who the hell was she in his life anyway for him to care who she was flirting with?! Who the hell was she anyway for him to actually waste any type of emotion for?!

His eyes narrowed on the mini lamp shade that used to belong to Hitomi before she had forced him to have it because his room looked gloomy.

The mini lamp shade had holes in it shaped in hearts and flowers. It even rotates so when it is lighted, light shaped in hearts and flowers would orbit the entire room walls. In short, make him think he's beginning to be even more girly than Celena could ever be. And that's saying much.

It was forced on him a couple of days after he had first entered Hitomi's room.

_"That's it! Damn Hitomi! I've had it!"_

_She glared at him and screamed. "I was just trying to be nice!!"_

_He glared back. "Yeah right," he said sarcastically. "Nice enough to torture me."_

_"And how am I torturing you, blockhead?"_

_"You are bossing me around damn it!"_

_"What's wrong? Your big pride got stepped on?"_

_"Shut up! I don't know how much patient I can be! It's hard enough trying to prevent myself from actually throttling you!"_

_"Then why don't you just drop the prince charming act and bring it on!"_

_"As if you can handle me. You wouldn't be capable of even hurting a fly."_

_She smirked suddenly. "Oh really? Have you forgotten---"_

_"Stop acting smug. Once I fight, you're dead, missy! But you're too immature to know that anyway."_

_"Hey! I'm not some damsel in distress you pathetic airhead!"_

_"Yeah right. And I didn't have to cover you back at the mall fight."_

_She gritted her teeth. "I didn't ask you to cover me you female version of Snow White!"_

_He cocked his head to the side, suddenly feeling his anger disappearing. He was rapidly amused as he entertained the thought of another friendly banter with Hitomi. "Okay. Since I'm Snow White, who would you be? The EVIL Queen?"_

_Her eyes narrowed. "I could be Belle from Beauty and the Beast."_

_"You're more like the grumpy beast."_

_She snorted. "Ha! You're Gaston! Let me quote this from Belle, you're positively primeval. Primeval as in primitive and I think it suits your brain. Primitive. And I could even say barbaric."_

_He scoffed back. "You're the barbaric one. Maybe you were an Amazon in your previous life."_

_"And you might have been the evil enemy! More like the Diablo."_

_"Suddenly lost all creativity? That's a character from a PC game. Don't tell me you can't think of creative enemy characters for yourself."_

_"Let me tell you that I'm more creative! I'm even artistic and you'll never be since you're so dull-headed. I mean just your room is enough proof how dull you can be!"_

_"And I suppose your room is artistic? Please. You have bad tastes you know." He then smirked to annoy her more._

_"I do NOT have bad taste you freak! You have bad tastes! I mean just look at my things here! They're so appealing."_

_"Yeah right. And my room is SO colorful."_

_"Sarcastic, aren't we? What's wrong? Losing the battle on me?" Hitomi asked smugly, trying her best to match him tit for tat in the annoying-the-other department._

_"I wouldn't lose a battle on you even if my life depended on it. You have bad tastes and you're just can't bear to accept that."_

_"Let's bet on tastes then, old man."_

_"Bring it on, ogre."_

_"We exchange a couple of things so when people see them and compliment them, it means the owner has the better taste on things."_

_"Deal."_

_Hitomi smiled evilly and then handed him things that are either too colorful or too adorned with hearts, flowers, and other designs he'd rather not associate with him for eternity._

_And soon it occurred to him that she'd just tricked him. She didn't really care about the taste argument. She just knew he hates the things she was handing him and she finds enjoyment in tormenting him with those things._

_"Not a piece more, damn it!"_

_"What's wrong? Can't the macho guy in you take it? What? Being a sissy already?"_

_His pride couldn't take it so he swallowed his disagreement on her actions. She might twist it again and make him look like a coward. "Fine. Add some more, loser."_

_"Hah! Let's see who the loser is. If you return them to me, you're the loser!"_

_He bit his tongue to prevent himself from doing a quip back which would either dig him more deal troubles or would make Hitomi furious enough to shop him a village of girly things for his room._

_He almost groaned when she packed an additional very girly lamp. But then she pulled it out and he almost sighed in relief. However, when she turned the lights off, he had a very bad feeling. It turned out that she was merely sampling it to show him just how bad it could affect the tough, ominous image of his room._

_Hitomi smiled even more evilly and there was a hint of triumph in her eyes. But the part showing she was amused at his dilemma wasn't just a hint. She was practically rubbing it on him._

He sighed and turned off the only lamp shade lighted in his room before switching the shape-casting lamp shade Hitomi had forced on him. 

Yeah, who the hell was she in his life? No one… not anymore at least. But he couldn't cast her out not even if his life depended on it. And he had to wonder why…

He watched the shapes as they flittered through the walls and he didn't even notice that he was falling asleep.

~*A week later*~

She had just been cleared because of Mei and she couldn't believe it. The girl had actually gone out of her way to take the blame. Of course no one would believe her that she'd set the leakage thing up but Mei insisted and she had gotten a suspension and a visit with her parents to the school head.

There's only one more problem – catching the culprit on the computer scam. And the time was almost up. There was just three more weeks and school would be off.

'Oh well. Might as well try to survive the remaining days.'

She suddenly stopped and followed him with her eyes as he passed by her in the corridor. Dilandau had hurt her badly. But somehow, she couldn't find it in her heart to hate him. 

She had trusted him and was actually happy that they got along although they could argue and be immature at times when they fight over something trivial or not. She had foolishly hoped that they could be really friends and she was beginning to care more and more for him. But he stabbed her in the back.

Nothing can hurt you more than those people you care for. Too bad. Dilandau stabbed her when she was changing her impression on him.

When he turned in the corner, he stopped and clenched his fists tightly.

'I again almost forgot that she's supposed to be invisible to me. Damn! I really got to get some life. Now it's almost like I'm pinning over something I can't have.'

However he wanted to explain to her, if she is not willing to believe him, he'd be just wasting his time and effort. And now that she's got her most handsome and chivalrous knight back, would she actually give a damn about what he's got to say? Of course not!

She had obviously already forgotten about everyone else. She's been very happy since her friends came and he can often see her being dropped off to school by her friends and fetched in the afternoon for some fun.

'The HELL I care! She's not someone important to me!'

But of course his stupid mind had already agreed with the weakness of his emotions and no matter how much he tells himself that he no longer cares, his brain would pound into him that he's just being a sore loser and now he's sour-grapping over her.

"Dilandau,"

His mind snapped back to reality and he was sure that he'd kill this person who was brainless enough to disturb him. But then his red eyes focused on a boy nearly as tall as him, with familiar green eyes and a not freshman-like air despite being a freshman. "Hiko."

Hiko hesitated for a second. "Parking lot?"

He leaned on his car and looked at Hiko. "So what's up?"

Hiko looked back at him. "I know that Hitomi still bothers you although not physically."

He snorted. "And exactly how can you say that?"

"You're not into motorcycle anymore. You remember her more than when you're driving your car."

Cold laughter from Dilandau ensued. "What's this? Psychic blood? Your sister shows scary perception at times. And now you. Want to tell me my future?"

"You're being sarcastic because that's your last line of defense. Really Dilandau. You're as stubborn as my sister. You need to come to terms with your emotions at times. I know it sucks. I hate having to do that, too, especially around Tomi coz we've always been competing on who's tougher."

"So is this it? You're here to tell me to---"

"I don't know. But I just feel like I owe you something."

"Something?"

"A talk."

Dilandau reached inside his car and leaned back on it moments later, lighting a cigarette. "So talk and get this over with. Normally I wouldn't listen and just beat up the talker but since I feel like listening to you, go ahead."

"I'm not scared of you, Dilandau, if that's what---"

"I know that. You wouldn't be a karate champion if you're a coward."

Hiko's brows furrowed. "How---"

"Your sister and I go to your room before, don't we?"

"But I don't display anything that would hint---"

"We mess with your things when we need to find a CD. Besides, she talks about you. She even slipped on a scenario where you've gotten yourself in a fight with a punk in school and she had to meddle behind your back so the other punks couldn't touch you."

"I know of that though of course she didn't know that I know. She'd freak if I tell her I know that she's protecting me in school.  She'd think I pity her coz she's losing her supposedly nonchalant attitude." Hiko tilted his head slightly. "I don't like the group she moved in as you well know. And I used to think that I'd kill myself first before I let them get to Tomi again."

"It's obvious."

"I know. And I think it's even more obvious that I was very much happy when you and Tomi started getting together. Of course there are times that I wonder why I like you for her when at times she screams her lungs off just because you annoyed her much more than usual."

"So you're telling me that you've had a change of mind?"

"No. I still think you're better for her than Allen could ever be. I don't know if I'm being so protective coz I think I owe her much for protecting me in America. But he's a damn playboy and I don't want Tomi to get hurt."

Guilt knocked on Dilandau's being. "I'm no different, Hiko. You were just never told. I could change and dump a girl like she's some useless thing."

"I suspected as much. But the mere fact you act differently around her means something much, doesn't it? Besides, when we came here, you flirt and all and that's very much like Allen. But when I discovered that she hated you, I just knew you'd be perfect for her."

"You've gone crazy, Hiko."

"I don't think you get my flow, Dilandau. If you hate and then love, I think it's better than you start from a crush. Because if you can overcome your hate and love everything you used to hate that person for, it's really something. You just don't love a flaw lightly."

Dilandau smirked. "I used to wonder why you don't have a girlfriend. Now I know. You stick much to things that don't come true."

"I just don't want to regret something. I could've beaten up the punk and his friends but I didn't do that. I chose to be called a coward and then Tomi had to use her popularity for me. She's fair and she understands that I didn't start the fight and I did that to protect someone so she helped me out. But the point is, I'd rather swallow my pride than reach a point where I'd kick myself because I did something I wasn't supposed to do."

"So what exactly are you hinting at?"

"I know you still like her and I know that she likes you back. So whatever it is that happened between you two, you both have to try and fix it before you both look back and realize you just made one of the biggest mistakes you'd ever regret. You both have to swallow your prides and learn to set your differences aside or you'll both lose each other."

"She has Allen."

"I know. And though I don't like him, I'm eating everything I have against him merely because he can make my sister happy. But you make her sad, Dilandau. Even when she looks so happy, somewhere within her, I just know she's still keeping you there."

"And exactly how do you know that? Sure you're related to her but---"

"If I don't have a girlfriend now, it doesn't mean I never had before. If I don't seem to bother with other emotions now, it doesn't mean I never bothered before. Losing her doesn't only mean losing her as a girlfriend or whatever. It's losing each other's friendship. Right she has Allen. But even a boyfriend cannot shut out the need for a friend. And I think she found friendship in you as she had found in Millerna and the others that's why no matter how worse you two can be to each other, she's still bothered about having a gap with you."

"Hiko---"

"The people who can hurt you the most is always the people you care most about. Tomi wouldn't give a damn if she lost other people's praise. But she would give a damn if she lost someone important, literally or figuratively. Think about it."

Hiko started to walk away to leave him to his thoughts. But he needed to know something. "Hiko."

Kanzaki Hiko stopped but didn't look back. "Yes?"

"Do you really think Hitomi---"

"It's really not about what I think or others think. It's how you think. You've spent time with her. You should know."

"People think differently, Hiko. What I think may not be what she thinks."

"I know. But it's worth trying, isn't it? You two make a good team after all. Even if you both don't notice it."

Dilandau was left alone. He stared at the ground, thinking about the talk with Hiko.

"And then Mike even asked Kelly if they could have this big cut and tour Washington!" Millerna related laughingly.

"Actually, Mike's going to meet a girl there," Amano explained amusedly. "I think he met the girl in cyberspace and I think she looked really hot in the picture."

"So what happened?" Hitomi inquired.

"Kelly found out and dumped him for Shawn." Yukari answered.

"Shawn? Isn't he the star swimmer of---"

"The one and only. Actually, he's Sarah's ex, right Sarah?" Gades asked with a smirk.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Yeah."

Allen laughed. "Jealous? Kelly sticks to Shawn like some leech."

Everyone except Hitomi looked at him as if telling him _we see girls stick to you like human-leeches, too. Allen laughed almost nervously._

"So, Allen," Hitomi began. "I guess you've had dozens of girls around you."

"Huh?"

Hitomi sighed. "It's okay. I understand. It's not like it can be avoided, right? You're Allen Schezar after all."

They all looked at her as if something was terribly wrong.

"Are you okay?" Millerna asked worriedly. "Shouldn't you be a little more… jealous?"

Hitomi laughed. "Nah. I just realized that giving Allen space is the best thing I could do. I trust him. And a relationship cannot go on without trust."

"Tomi's right," Sarah declared.

"So, you haven't mentioned your school yet. We've mentioned how it is back in America," Yukari said. "With you still very much popular as with the rest of us."

"Let me guess," Gades interrupted. "You're the most popular girl in school?"

Hitomi hesitated for a moment before threading her fingers through her hair. She didn't want to talk about it but these were her very best friends. If she didn't trust them enough, then this might end like the disaster with Dilandau. 'Oh hell! Why am I thinking about that demonic old man?!'

"Hitomi?"

She looked at Millerna and sighed. "I really don't want to talk about this."

"It's okay. We understand."

"I'm not through yet, Millerna. I don't want to talk about this, true. But that doesn't mean I won't tell you what you want to know." She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair again, pausing for a long time. "Would you believe me if I say it's actually the opposite?"

The rest stared at her with shock before they all laughed.

"Oh that was a nice joke!" Amano exclaimed. "For a minute there, you had us almost going with it. I mean, you were just too convincing!"

She forced a laugh. "Actually, I'm telling the truth." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm actually an outcast and they talk about me in a negative way. There's actually a rumor about me cheating and changing grades. I… I'm really sorry for… being such a… failure. I stained our name."

"That's nonsense!" Millerna cried out. "Whether or not you are popular, you never were a failure, okay? You're a bright student who works hard for grades! You're the star sprinter who reached national level through perseverance! And you're the greatest and truest friend we ever could have!"

"I do agree with Millerna," Yukari assured while the others nodded.

"So no one's leaving me?" She asked hesitantly.

"That's stupid, Tomi," Gades muttered. "Even if people here would leave you, we never would okay? It's not about popularity, remember? We're friends not because we need to be but because we chose to be. Now, if that's what's been keeping you from being all-out happy, you just have to kick it off your mind. We'll always be here, okay?"

Hitomi sighed and nodded. She was so thankful to have them. "Thanks. You don't know how much I needed to hear that."

"Why don't we just talk about some other things like you guys telling me more about how everything was with Hitomi around?" Sarah asked eagerly, smiling at the others and at Hitomi.

~*Two weeks later*~

Good thing she was already cleared from the scam. It was rumored that someone from another school had come to settle the mess. But she didn't really care about the rumors. It might get her in more trouble. What was important for her was that the truth was out. At least she could take her exams with a light heart. And at least she no longer hears students talk negatively about her. Whatever happened, she was just so glad that things were turning up.

'Dilandau,' she thought.

She sighed and shook her head to clear her mind. "I might as well study."

~tbc~

**Author's Note: I'm still off it. **My mind is still muddled and I couldn't think of a way to straighten my mood whenever I write. But I do hope by next chapter, I'd be able to put them back to how they should be and then enter Allen and the others. Anyhow, I know this is still downright substandard and I'm admitting that. I'd try my best to write a good one within the deadline.

**Thanks **to **Luna (LunaPluto17@hotmail.com) and ****Kisakino**** Ookami for still leaving reviews on the finished parts of the series. And I'd also like to give ****thanks to Colerachel, Izzy, Catelina, My Silver Flame, Rai Dorian, Drkdemon, MysticalDreamer32, Laochgael, Xelena, Diesty-chan who left me reviews on my one shot DH (Heart of Sword). I won't be able to thank you there so I'd just thank you here. And of course, **to those who reviewed the previous chapter. Thanks for the support.****


	3. Just face and confront it

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **Night of the Raven, One-Mean-Rabbit, the original esca chick, Colerachel, Magicman/Smokegirl, Izzy, naria4, Moon Smurf, DillyChic16, T T, SabrinaYutsuki, Kat-Tastrophe, MysticalDreamer32, Princess Neptune, honeypot, My Silver Flame, who cares4, Wendera Jade, Diesty-chan, Blue Demon, Kendra, Fuzzie, Rina4, megami-sama, fallen-dark-angel

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 3: Just face and confront it**

'Damn! I think Hiko messed me up pretty bad,' he mused a little irately. 'Now all I want to do is go and talk to her and demand that she listens to me. But how do I do that when she's always surrounded by her friends especially that stupid a** Allen?!'

His jaws clenched unconsciously at the thought of Allen and Hitomi. How he hated the guy for simply being with Hitomi! And if he found out that Allen was cheating behind her, he'd pound him non-stop or simply just toast him.

He detoured to the right sharply and immediately found himself face to face with the happy faces of the last person he wanted to see and the person he so desperately wanted to talk to.

They were chatting happily. Well, at least she was trying to chat happily with them. But she just can't shake the feeling of being uncomfortable. Not with them but with their topics. She just felt so out of place like she can't even completely relate with what they were saying and understand their emotions while talking.

They have all agreed to never ask about what happened in Japan until Hitomi felt ready to talk about it so they resulted to just filling her in on what's what back in America. But she just felt she couldn't really relate no matter how hard she tried.

Is this all her fault? Was she making a gap? Or was there a gap developing over the past months?

She couldn't understand. She was supposed to be completely happy in their company. This was what she desperately wanted back then. So why is she thinking about other people now?

Sighing, she forced another laugh even though she didn't know what they were laughing about. And just as she was turning to see where they were going, she was met with the sight of the person who occupied most of her thoughts lately.

She stopped completely and stared back at the garnet eyes of the person in front of her and Allen. She didn't know what to do.

Allen noticed her reaction and looked at the guy in front of them. He can't seem to remember him anywhere so Hitomi must know him from school judging from her reaction. Is this one of the guys who were making fun of her? Just the thought of that made his eyes narrow at this guy.

"You know him, Tomi?" Yukari asked, trying to break the tension.

She nodded slowly; almost frozen by the coldness those red eyes seemed to exude with as of the moment. Then those eyes turned to her, wavering slightly with quickly passing and conflicting emotions.

"Hitomi," he acknowledged.

Everyone was looking at the red-eyed Adonis who had just said Hitomi's name as if he knew her. They could feel the tension starting to build up between their friend and the guy. But before anyone could say anything or do anything as a reaction, the red-eyed guy walked away without another glance to any of them.

"Can I say rude or what?" Allen scoffed.

They laughed. Hitomi merely forced a smile.

'He hates me for not giving him a chance to defend his lies,' she thought. 'Who cares? I have my friends now. And I have Allen back. The stupid engagement is off. Everything will be back to how it all was, to how I wish it would all be again. Well except for studying in America but it doesn't matter. This is as good as things could get.'

He walked directly to the mall's parking lot, eyes as impassive and as cold as could be despite its fiery color. He opened his car and ducked inside, slamming the door angrily before slumping on the driver's seat and shutting his eyes tightly.

He couldn't really understand but it hurts so much that it was burning him inside. Seeing her so happy, together once again with her Allen. He couldn't also understand but he wanted to be the one with her. He wanted to be the reason of the smile she had… He wanted to be the person she cared for.

"Damn it!" He snapped angrily, hands banging aggressively on the steering wheel.

He slumped on the seat once again, jaws tightly shut that it hurt.

"Dilandau?"

Celena couldn't take it anymore. She didn't like seeing her twin like this. As much as she hated to admit it, she'd rather have the gangster Dilandau than a broken one. She couldn't stand him like this and she couldn't stand seeing Hitomi had discarded Dilandau as if he was nothing and went on her merry way with her friends.

'She better have a good explanation for doing this to my brother,' she thought angrily as she pushed open Dilandau's door. "Dilandau?"

It was relatively dark except for the moving lights on the wall shaped in hearts and flowers. She could vaguely see Dilandau's figure, hunched on the bed near the lamp Hitomi had given him. Her heart ached for her twin. She had never seen him so broken before.

As she stepped towards him, she nearly tripped on some things and when she looked closely, she knew. Dilandau had just destroyed most of the things in his room.

"Dilandau?"

He didn't move. His face remained buried in his hands. She thought he was sleeping, but as she neared him, she could hear his faint sobs.

"Dilandau, what's wrong?" She sat on the floor and looked at him. "Please tell me what's wrong."

For many minutes, silence settled between them. But then, he removed his hands from his face and looked at his sister's sad face. "Celena, I don't know what to do anymore."

"What happened?"

"She hates me." He shut his eyes tightly. "She hates me and blames me for every fuck*** junk happening to her in school. Those fuck*** cheating, hacking, all those f***ing junk… she thought I did them to get back at her."

"But that's stupid! You'd never---"

"She doesn't believe me," he said brokenly. "She doesn't trust me enough to believe that the thing with Clover…"

Celena began to understand and waited patiently for the rest of Dilandau's explanation. He was very drunk to the point of senselessness, and that enough conveyed much additional information.

~*The Next Day*~

"Hitomi,"

She stopped by the gates and looked back to see Celena walking towards her with a very serious expression. She had a feeling this had something to do with Dilandau.

"Can we talk?"

"About?" Hitomi asked warily.

"Everything."

"Celena, if this is about Dilandau---"

"This is not just about him," Celena cut coldly. "This is about everything that's going on between you and my brother."

"Look Celena, I am tired with this and I don't want to talk about this thing."

Celena glared at her. "Tired?! You should see my brother before you say that! I thought you were nice Hitomi, despite what people thought," she said with hurt and anger. "But in the end, they were right after all. So you don't want to talk about this. Of course. That's the perfect answer to the problem, isn't it? Run away and let others suffer!"

"Hey! You don't know anything!" Hitomi shot back.

"No! YOU don't know ANYTHING! You actually think that my brother would do those things when you're probably the only girl he took seriously?! Gracious, Hitomi! How can you be so blind?! You only see your pain! How can you be so selfish?!"

"Selfish?! You don't know anything about what happened so don't go---"

"Really?! Did you ever stop your self-pity and actually tried to see what's on the other side of the fence?! You hurt my brother---"

"He hurt me."

"So this is it?! A tit for a tat?! Goodness, Hitomi! You're so immature! So you were unpopular because of him! But didn't he make it up by changing FOR YOU?! Didn't he make it up by trying to make you happy?!"

Tears stung both set of eyes by now and they had been raising their voices since a while ago. It was a good thing that the school was almost empty.

"It was a game, Celena," Hitomi said quietly then, forcing back a sob. "He didn't mean all that. He was just trying to make me soften up so he can have a bigger chance in hurting me. And he succeeded you know. He hurt me more than anyone could."

"He didn't, Hitomi," Celena negated softly but firmly. "You have to believe that he wouldn't do that to you… EVER. Everything is a big misunderstanding. Why can't you just give him a chance?"

"Why? He hurt me so much! How do you expect me to give him a chance?!"

"Not everything is as it is, Hitomi. You have to understand that."

Hitomi closed her eyes briefly before looking at Celena evenly. "There's nothing to talk about now. You said your side, I said mine. You know my decision. Go celebrate with your brother." She spun around and walked away, towards the waiting red convertible just on the other side of the road.

Celena closed her eyes and calmed herself. She had to find another way. Hitomi was stubborn but Celena knew that her green-eyed friend was hurting as much as her red-eyed twin was. And she had had enough of this angst.

"Are you alright, Hitomi?"

She sighed and looked at Allen. She forced a smile. "Yeah."

He looked skeptical. "You look like you've cried. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just some school problem. No biggie. I was just being a crybaby and I didn't know I was losing it until I felt my tears. But it's not a big problem really. You know, just the usual stuff. Nothing to worry about. It's not really something. Just some minor school problem. Yeah, minor one. Nothing really big. Well, as I said it was minor."

Hitomi continued to babble and repeat her words. It was clear to Allen. She was lying. When they went to the mall to meet their other friends, he could see that Hitomi was not into the fun they were doing. The rest noticed, too but whenever they tried to pry the answers from Hitomi, they couldn't. She was just too stubborn to admit something was wrong.

If there was someone who knew what was wrong, it was definitely Hiko. He'd been around when they were not so even if Hitomi wasn't telling him anything, he was bound to see something. There was just some problem. Hiko hated them.

"I see." Hiko nodded and looked away. "This is so messy."

"I know."

"What do we do now? Hitomi rarely has time home. My parents had been allowing her to stay with her friends for most of the time. When she goes home, she's so tired."

"We have to get her to understand especially now that my brother had slipped that they were engaged."

Hiko frowned. "Were?"

Realization settled on Celena and her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness!"

"Now what?"

"I have to get my dad to understand that—"

"Hitomi's going to America."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry. I just remembered. I overhead my parents talking about it."

Celena began pacing the rooftop back and forth. "Wait, didn't you say Allen is Hitomi's boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"If Hitomi hates Dilandau and the engagement is off plus your parents are allowing her to spend time with her friends AND her boyfriend, then it means—"

"Yeah. Even my dad approves of Allen now."

"This is bad."

"I know. And as much as I want to help get Hitomi away from Allen, this is her choice. I can try and tell her all that you told me about what happened between Dilandau and her but I can't make her accept. Besides, she might think that this is another one of my campaign to get her away from Allen."

"But she has to believe. She has to listen to the truth and patch things up with my brother."

"Celena, even if she patches things up, my parents' decision in sending her back is final. My dad was so mad when he found out about what's been happening to Hitomi here in school especially when my sister got called to the office."

"Well at least they get to stop hurting themselves, right?" Celena pointed out stubbornly. "They have to clear this whether or not the engagement is on. They're torturing themselves and I have had enough of this!"

"So what do we do now?"

"Set them up?"

"Impossible. Her friends stick to her like leeches. You know, catching up on old times. Besides, do you think Dilandau is still willing to have this fixed? He's been avoiding her here."

"Well that's because he's broken. When you see him at home, he's different. And I'm really getting pissed off. Hitomi's my friend but at the rate she's destroying my brother, she'd be my mortal enemy pretty soon."

Hiko kept silent and thought of a plan for a while before looking at Celena. "If we could get the one responsible for the mess to talk to Hitomi—"

"I'm on it," Celena cut in and walked out of the rooftop, leaving Hiko thinking of some other alternatives in case this one doesn't go too well.

When he went home, Allen was there in the living room, obviously waiting for someone. Hiko promptly spun back to just go to his room but Allen had stopped him. Green eyes glared fiercely at the blonde.

"What do you want?" Hiko asked in a cold voice. "I don't know where Tomi is. I thought she was with you."

"Hiko, your sister is in Yukari's place with the rest."

"So what do you want then?"

"I want to talk to you."

"What for? To rub it in my face that you finally succeeded in stopping me from kicking you out of my sister's life?"

"Look, I know you hate me—"

"Good. Because even if I act civil when Hitomi and my parents are around, it doesn't mean I'm okay with you. I know of your womanizing while you were back in America so don't try convincing me to your side," he spat in a venomous voice.

Allen's jaw clenched. "Did you tell—"

"No. She wouldn't believe me anyway. Besides, it would hurt her and I certainly don't want to hurt my sister. But don't be too sure about your self, Allen Schezar. I'd still kick you to the ground if you hurt my sister regardless of the fact that Tomi would be mad at me for that."

Crossing his arms on his chest, Allen narrowed his eyes on Hiko. "So this is what? A threat? What is your problem anyway?"

"Problem? I thought you'd know by now that it's you, jock boy. I want you out of my sister's life. You'll only hurt her. You'd dump her after you get tired of her."

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh please," Hiko said sarcastically. "Don't wash your hands. Your life is practically a well-known fact. Everyone there knows that you're a playboy."

Blue eyes narrowed. "I would've dumped your sister a long time ago. But I didn't. You know why? Because I'm serious about her. The problem with you is that you refuse to forgive other people's past."

"Past? Weren't you repeating your PAST when we came here in Japan? Didn't you go womanizing when Tomi was here?"

"It's my nature!"

"Yes! And it's going to hurt my sister in the end! I'm still watching you, Allen. You two-time my sister, I won't hesitate reminding you that I still can teach you some lesson," he hissed and walked away.

~*Last Day of School*~

Hitomi wished that she had left the room earlier and wasn't left there alone. But there was nothing she could do about that but wish that there were two doors instead of one in the classroom. She wasn't ready to face all this yet, not after the confrontation with Celena before and with her brother just last night. She still wasn't too sure of what to think of what Celena and especially what Hiko had said.

She decided that she had to do something to get away so she walked casually to the door and tried to squeeze through the very little amount of space that Dilandau wasn't blocking with his form. With him in the middle of the door, it was very disconcerting.

"Let me out, Dilandau," she said in a tired voice. "I just want to go home."

"No. Not before we talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You're the only one saying that," he said curtly and stepped inside the room, making Hitomi retreat back to the other side. He closed the door and leaned on it, looking at Hitomi. For minutes he stared at her as she looked at her shoes as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"So talk," Hitomi finally broke the silence.

"Would you believe me if I do talk?"

"No. But you wanted to talk, right? So I'm giving you the chance to talk so I can go."

He frowned. After the talk with Celena, he'd been so embarrassed at having to have his twin see him in all his pathetic glory after meeting accidentally with Hitomi and her friends at the mall. He was even uncharacteristically worried that he might have rambled on about something when he had been very drunk. But Celena never mentioned anything so he was safe, or at least he hoped. However, he can't stand this anymore so he decided that he'd talk to Hitomi even if he had to trap her and pin her to the wall.

"I can talk but if you wouldn't listen it's no use. So I wouldn't let you off anyway."

She looked at him with much frustration. "Please don't make this so hard."

"You're the one making this hard, Hitomi. So tell that to your self," he said quietly.

"Why do you even insist on this talk?"

He looked like he was having second thoughts then and it took him a long time to answer, although a bit hesitantly. "I must be going crazy," he mumbled before looking at her with irritation and frustration. "Well because I don't want us to fight especially over something that's not true."

She looked back skeptically and it made him start pacing back and forth as if seriously doubting his sanity. 

"Hell I don't know, okay?!" He snapped as he stopped. "I don't even understand it myself but… I… Hell! I'm crazy to say this! I don't want you to hate me."

She sighed and looked away. "I could say I hate you all I want," she said softly and looked back just in time to catch the unconscious hurt expression on Dilandau's face. "But if I… if I tell you… honestly… I… I don't. I don't want us to fight, too. But that—"

"That was a big misunderstanding, Hitomi. Clover was there to tell me what that junk was all about and—"

"I know."

"What?!"

She sighed tiredly. "I know."

"Then why—"

"I never knew that until last night. Hiko and I had a big fight about Allen and he blurted it all out."

"You believed him?"

"No. Not immediately actually. But I stayed up all night and thought about what he said as well as what Celena said to me about being so blind and—"

"Celena did what?"

Hitomi looked at him with surprise. "You mean you didn't really send Celena?"

"Send her to what?"

"Oh goodness! You really were telling the truth."

Dilandau's brow furrowed and then something clicked. He groaned and closed his eyes. "Please tell me that Celena didn't say anything about me being drunk and crying like some pathetic moron while rambling about something I can't even remember."

Hitomi studied him for a long time and noted his frustrated and embarrassed expression while his eyes were shut tightly. Then the weight that's been on her chest lifted completely and she smiled. "You cried like some pathetic moron?"

His eyes immediately opened. "You mean she didn't say anything?"

"No. She just said I was blind and—"

"You mean I just made a fool of myself?"

Her grin widened. "Completely."

He groaned and slid down the door, slumping on the floor dejectedly. "So much for my tough guy image. F***! Could someone just shoot me?!"

Hitomi giggled and walked towards him, sitting beside him and looking at him with a big smile plastered on her face. "I would've shot you if you asked for it during my first days here. But now, I think I'll let you live in torture."

"Damn Hitomi! Shut up!"

She stuck out her tongue. "Well, do you want to hear what Hiko said? He said that Celena told him that you slipped about our engagement and when it was broken, about the fight, about me not believing you, and about Mei and Clover's involvement in the mess here in school."

"That's all?"

"Yes. But now I know you were, let me quote this, drunk and crying like some pathetic moron while rambling about something you can't even remember." She grinned. "That's a great thing for blackmail you know."

He rolled his eyes. "Gee, I'm thanking you with all my heart for seeing a new angle to that."

Then they fell silent for a long while before Hitomi found her voice.

"I'm sorry for not believing you. I guess I was a bit too judgmental that I didn't even think there could've been more than what I saw or heard."

Dilandau sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before looking at her. "I know saying what I'll say would make me look even more crazy and pathetic but…"

"But?"

"Well… not believing me had hurt."

She raised a brow. "It did?"

He smirked. "I know it sounds ridiculous but it really did. I don't know. Maybe you've actually drove me mad during the course of our friendship or whatever it was."

"Let's just say I have the capacity of driving demonic old men crazy." She giggled and looked at him. "How do we settle this all then?"

"I'm not one for settling friendships really. I haven't really cared for things like that. Well, not until you screwed with my mind and made me THIS pathetic. And to think that before, I had this resolution to not turn into some pathetic guy."

"Well you're originally pathetic, you know. No need to blame me for sinking lower in the pathetic scale."

He laughed. "Are we friends now or what?"

She smiled. "I guess."

"So we start all over again? Forget the past and just move on?"

"Well, not all of the past."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to forget that you rambled---"

"Hey! My rambling never happened. Let's make that a deal or else I'd really do anything to shut you up."

Hitomi looked thoughtful. "But isn't that a bit too high for the price of YOUR friendship? I mean you're just a demonic old man. Who'd want to pay so high a price for YOU?"

Dilandau rolled his eyes. "Way to start a good friendship. Insult someone."

She grinned. "I was just kidding. But still, it's still too high for a price."

"Tomi," he said warningly.

"What?"

"Tomi,"

"What?"

"Tomi," he repeated in the same tone only this time, he was glaring a bit.

"Fine, fine. Your dumb rambling never happened. So, are we friends yet or do you want us to start some really brutal war with each other?"

Dilandau snorted. "Bossy ogre," he grumbled.

"Hey!"

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry for the late update. I couldn't bring myself to write for the past time. Besides, it's so hard to sneak for writing. As I said, the *P* factor of my life don't take a positive look on my writing stuff. And I couldn't access my account for days. I don't know what's wrong. All I want to say right now is that I hope I can update before a week has passed. I'm not feeling so well physically.

      Anyway, I'm glad that you all seemed to like Hiko and well you see that Hitomi's friends are really her friends coz that's what I aimed for. There's always something good about someone no matter how worse they could be.

      Thanks to **Colerachel**** and ****Lady Ice Phoenix for still reviewing Intruder Alert which was already done ages ago, to **Blue Demon **and **Kendra **for her belated review on Intruder Alert: Take Two, and to **honeypot****** for reviewing Heart of Sword.**

**      To Kendra**, I read your review. I read every review no matter how late because I owe my writing motivation to the reviewers. I'm sorry for making you feel miserable about the ending on IA2. Thanks for saying I should get an award. Anyway, I don't think you should say sorry for your chap 10 review. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

      Thanks for all the opinion about the previous chapter. I hope you leave me one in this chapter, too. Till the next update… thanks once again. I hope you all enjoyed.


	4. What others see

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **L 0 K I, Xen003, Magicman/Smokegirl, Catelina, Blue Demon, fluer21, mel_88, honeypot, who cares4, Moon Smurf, the original esca chick, Colerachel, MysticalDreamer32, My Silver Flame, Fuzzie, dilly-sammas luver, DillyChic16, naria4, Planeswalker, Kendra, Izzy, Koriina, T T, SabrinaYutsuki, Kat-Tastrophe, monkeybaby7

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 4: What others see…**

Hiko walked out of the school and just about came face to face with the person he hated to see with his sister. He frowned at the blonde. It would not be good if Allen saw Hitomi with Dilandau. Allen might get hurt and blow his top in the end.

"Waiting for Hitomi?"

Allen raised a brow at him. "Talking to me?"

"Do you see anyone near us?"

"Well, how should I know you were not talking to yourself?"

"Simple. I'm not as crazy as you." 'Okay. Wrong move. I can't believe I'm doing this. "Just kidding, Allen. Hey, want to have something to eat while waiting for Tomi?"

Allen looked at him questioningly and he immediately felt the need to just drag his sister's boyfriend to the nearest post and just knock him out to end this. But that would be asking for more trouble.

"Look, I'm trying to be nice here for my sister's sake so either you take it or leave it."

The blonde's lips curled upwards. "I'll take it. It's better to have you off my back."

"Oh damn!" Hitomi exclaimed.

"Now what?"

"I'm supposed to meet Allen. He must be waiting for me," she explained as she stood up and grabbed her bag.

"About Allen," he started before Hitomi grabbed him and dragged him out. "What in the hell are you doing?!"

"Since we're friends now, you can join me and my friends."

"What?!"

Hitomi continued dragging him. "I'd introduce you. You can speak English anyway and oh I almost forgot to tell you that they had private lessons on two foreign languages with me for a few years. Want to guess what countries we decided to learn the language of?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm betting my life on Japan. You speak this language, ogre, even when you don't even know that we usually say surnames first before the name."

She glared. "Hey! Not everyone's perfect!"

"I know. Especially you. But well, at least you still speak---"

"Of course I speak Japan's language! My dad's Japanese and he had me and Hiko take lessons even when I thought there was no use anyway. And then my friends joined in."

"I can imagine," he commented sardonically.

Hitomi glared. "And the other?"

"Other what?"

"Other country we studied the language of?" She asked in a challenging tone.

He smirked smugly before answering. "France."

Her mouth dropped and quickly clicked shut at his amused look. "How'd you know?"

He rolled his eyes once more. "You have French books in your room. Unless you use them as paper weight or something---"

"Can we just blab about this later? Allen is waiting so let's just go and I'll introduce you. There's no problem with the language anyway. Either way, we'd all understand each other. Unless you speak Martian of course which you don't."

'Now she's the one prattling,' Dilandau thought resignedly. 'She's really crazy.'

"Well since you're one of my friends here, I'm sure they'd be nice to you. Come and meet them."

"We've met on the mall and I---"

"I know what you did. They think you're rude and you are but you're my friend."

"I don't want to meet them!"

"Too bad I'm going to make you."

"Damn it Hitomi! Only a few minutes of truce and you're already back to bossing me around!"

She merely ignored him and continued dragging him outside the school. He was frustrated. He didn't want to see Hitomi's friends especially Allen but he's letting her drag him over anyway. There was definitely something wrong with him.

As much as Hiko was trying to get the blonde playboy to forget that he was going to meet Hitomi, Allen's mind seemed to have an on the second reminder.

"We should get back," Allen said for the nth time.

Hiko shrugged. "I think she'd be later."

"What makes you say that? Hitomi doesn't like being late."

"It's the end of the school, Allen. She might have a couple of people to talk to."

Allen smiled without humor. For minutes, he was trying to figure out Hiko's attitude. And after Hiko's recent reply, he just knew that Hiko was up to something. It was a fact that Hiko hated him for being with Hitomi therefore if Hitomi's brother was up to something, it would sure involve getting him away from Hitomi.

"We should get back," Allen said again. "You want me not to be there when Tomi comes out. It was a good try, I assure you. But not good enough."

Before Hiko could say anything, Allen had left.

'Looks like you really deserve your A grades,' Hiko thought. 'You may think of me as the antagonist for doing this but believe me, you'd be thanking me for my effort.'

With that thought, Hiko continued eating his food.

Allen strode towards the gate hoping that Hitomi was not going to be upset that he had made her wait. The moment he arrived at the school's gate, he saw Hitomi walking towards it with a familiar-looking guy. He didn't know what to feel at the moment – jealous or just curious.

"Hi, Allen!"

"Hey," he said as he gave Hitomi a kiss on the cheek.

Dilandau's brows met for a moment but he quickly wiped off his irritated expression before Hitomi turned to him.

"Allen, do you remember him?" She asked in fluent Japanese.

The blonde immediately assumed that the silver-haired bishounen didn't understand English. It was rude to speak in the presence of others using a language they can't understand. So deciding to just follow Hitomi's lead in the language used for the conversation, he gave the silver-haired bishounen a sweeping look before turning to Hitomi. "He looks familiar. I just couldn't remember."

Hitomi smiled. "Do you remember the guy at the mall who was so rude?"

Allen's face showed an affirmative to her query.

"Well, meet Albatou Dilandau," she introduced as she gave Dilandau the look saying *see I know* before continuing. "The rudest friend I have," Hitomi finished proudly.

The silver-haired bishounen looked at Hitomi with irritation. "Rudest? As if you're not downright rude yourself."

Hitomi looked back with equal irritation. "I was just being honest," she said and then turned back to Allen with a smile. "And this is Allen, my most---"

"Chivalrous and handsome knight," Dilandau cut in, his voice almost icy if not cutting.

Two sets of brows furrowed in question. Dilandau didn't really feel the need to explain, especially to this Allen guy but that would only fuel Hitomi's temper. And as much as he enjoyed annoying the hell out of her, she could get really dangerous at times and there's no telling what will happen.

"Hiko's direct quote from you," the red-eyed one replied, looking at Hitomi. "Could you get even more impractical or what?"

Hitomi glared. "I have every reason to think that you're just saying that because I don't say good things about you!"

The two proceeded to argue while Allen watched.

The blonde's lips flattened into a thin line. He sure was feeling bad vibes about this silver-haired bishounen known as Dilandau. It wasn't in him to feel jealous especially since he knew Hitomi loved him. But around this Dilandau person, alarms were setting off in his head. Just looking at the way he and Hitomi talked, it looks as if this red-eyed one has the means of competing for Hitomi, not just in physical terms but in something more. Summing it all up, Dilandau Albatou was a potential threat – a big one at that.

"Just go suck a doorknob!" Hitomi exclaimed.

Dilandau rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Bossy ogre," he mumbled.

Hitomi ignored his usual line when he was losing but still refused to admit the loss. She just turned to Allen and smiled up at him. "I'm really sorry for being so uncivilized and arguing with Dilandau. He just has this thing about him that gets to me."

Allen forced a smile. Just what Hitomi said confirmed his conclusions on Dilandau. If this guy had this effect on Hitomi that could really flare her up and make her childish, then this guy is really dangerous for their relationship. "Shall we go meet the others?"

"Sure. Do you mind if we drag Dilandau along?"

He couldn't really answer. He did mind. But seeing Hitomi's hopeful face made him hesitant to say his thoughts so he just nodded and hoped that he wasn't doing something he'd regret.

"I'm not coming," Dilandau announced.

"Says who?"

"Me."

"Oh we'll see."

At first, he hated the fact that Hitomi had managed to make him come to this Yukari girl's place. But after spending the last three and a half hours with them, it didn't seem too bad. They were welcoming enough and they sure can speak Japan's language pretty well for foreigners who looked more interested in picture-taking in a country than actually speaking its language.

He hated to admit it, but Hitomi sure does have a good reason to miss her friends. They loved her as she did them and it seemed they would never leave her alone, popular or not. For most of the reminiscing that the group did, he learned that Hitomi had such a good life with these people and it made him guilty that he shattered her chance of that kind of life here.

"Yeah!" Millerna exclaimed. "That has got to be one of the best times I've had, seeing that bit** paying for what she did! I mean she just went all out to try and ruin us!"

Yukari nodded. "Well, suits her right."

Amano, Gades, Allen, and Sarah nodded. Hitomi just smiled and said, "Hiko thought it was pretty dramatic the way she was humiliated."

"Hiko's just being nice," Millerna argued. "Although he could be such a pain."

Allen unconsciously rubbed his jaw and Dilandau instantly knew that Hiko did something really painful to Allen. He had the strongest urge to grin at Allen but he restrained himself and just grinned inwardly.

"He isn't the only one being a pain," Hitomi said as she grinned and elbowed Dilandau. "Right, Dilandau?"

"If you're hinting that I am, well so are you."

The others, already adjusted to Dilandau's way of speaking to Hitomi, just looked at their friend for confirmation. Hitomi giggled but didn't say anything.

He stepped outside the house. It was already dark but it wasn't like it was going to be the first time he'd go home late. There were times in the past that he didn't even bother to go home.

"Not enjoying, are you?" A female voice asked him.

He looked at the person who stood beside him from the corner of his eyes. It was the girl with blonde hair. Millerna, was it?

"Just need some air."

She smiled. "I think I know why. You find us stuffy. I assume you know Hiko and I'm pretty sure you've heard tons of bad things about us from him. He isn't really fond of us."

"I noticed."

"I think he has given us a bad rate for being what we are. Well, if you've listened to our nonsense talks awhile back, we're---"

"Popular. Very popular."

She nodded. "And I know we look like some stuck-up, snobbish popular junks to you. What with all our chattering about how everything used to be with Tomi around. We just miss her and this is our only chance to spend time with her.  And about the mean things we do, I think it's just because that's always how the system worked. And I guess we just followed the trend, though not all of it."

"I know. Pretty obvious from the friendship thing you have going on."

Millerna laughed. "So you noticed. You know, we may have gotten used to being trapped in our own self-centered little worlds but everything is just so different when it's just us, when there's no popularity stunt we need to pull off or anything like that. It's like we're each part of a whole and when one left, it was so weird. We were still popular but there was something missing. Something so important that we'd trade all we have just to find that missing part. I know I'd rather be not popular than not have my friends at all. That's the main reason why I had to practically beg my parents to let me fly halfway around the world just to see Tomi. And I would do this again and again if it means finding that part of me that's missing even if it's for a fraction of time." She smiled coyly and shook her head. "Sorry. I guess I got too carried away. It's just like that when the person I talk about has become so important to me. But I do mean what I said. I'd do this again and again to just feel complete even for a while."

He didn't say anything at first and when he did, it was as if he hadn't heard anything from her at all. "Hitomi's going to have a ride home with Allen, isn't she?"

She nodded. "I guess."

"Tell her I'm going."

"You're not joining us for dinner?"

"No. I need to smoke and she'd kill me for that."

"What?"

He smirked. "She hated it when she caught me smoking."

"You smoke?"

His smirk widened. 'So these are actually straight people no matter how badly Hiko thinks of them,' "Yeah."

"It's bad for your health. I'm sure Tomi told you that."

"She did when she caught me. I got one hell of a nagging."

She scrunched up her nose slightly. "So, then you smoke when she's not around anymore?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't want her nagging at me."

Millerna regarded him for a moment before smiling. "I think you two got along just fine."

He scoffed, slightly amused. "Yeah, if you consider her making me her slave as getting along just fine."

She couldn't stop herself from giggling. "Funny. You don't sound pissed off by that. Yup, definitely you two got along just fine. Well, since I think you kept her happy, I'm going to do you a favor. You smoking behind her will be our little secret. You can even smoke now while we wait for a taxi for you."

"Taxi? I'll walk."

"You're crazy," she said incredulously. "You could get in trouble on your way and---"

"I won't," he said as he lighted a cigarette. "I could fight back anyway if in case I do get into something."

They didn't say anything after that. They only stood their quietly as Dilandau smoked two more sticks of cigarette.

'Where are they?' She thought as she walked out of the house and towards the front gate.

She had been wondering where Dilandau and Millerna were and decided to excuse herself and look for the two. When she had searched everywhere they could possibly be in the house, she decided to go outside for some fresh air. But the closer she got to the gate, the more of the fresh air she wanted disappeared from her mind. She was getting irritated by the smell of cigarette smoke, and even more as an idea of who was smoking crossed her mind.

When she stepped out, she saw Millerna standing at the side of a smoking Dilandau and her eyes narrowed in an instant. Before she could suppress her annoyance, she stalked up to them and jerked the cigarette off Dilandau's mouth and stomping it off on the ground. She glared at him.

"What did I say about smoking?!"

Dilandau rolled his eyes and Millerna had to struggle to hold her giggles from coming out. She was having a very good idea of how Hitomi was around Dilandau.

"You're not only destroying your health but others' as well!" Hitomi crossed her arms on her chest. "If you want to die, go hang yourself!"

He was about to argue with her when she clamped her hand on his mouth and commented about his breath which made him glare at her with much irritation. It was only a bit later that both he and Hitomi had noticed Millerna looked extremely amused.

"It's not funny!" Hitomi exclaimed to Millerna. "It seems to me he's smoking behind my back!"

'There goes her scary perception again,' he commented mentally, never guessing that Millerna had the same line of thoughts as he had.

"That's it! We're not going inside that house until we finish this matter."

"Tomi," Millerna said, trying to draw the fire away. "What Dilandau does is really out of our decision. We can only give him advices but we shouldn't boss him around."

Dilandau smirked, suddenly finding more reasons to decide that Millerna wasn't so bad.

"Outside," Hitomi mumbled after a few seconds of silence. She walked away from them.

The two looked at each other. Dilandau smirked even more whilst Millerna smiled. "We eat dinner outside," they said at the same time, amused by the fact that they both understand Hitomi pretty well.

Millerna tried to keep herself from raising her brow. She had been observing Hitomi and Dilandau while the three of them ate at a twenty-four hour food place. Hitomi was definitely sulking and Dilandau was looking both amused and annoyed by her attitude.

It was strange. It seemed to her that something was up. It was like sparks flew between Hitomi and Dilandau. And as far as she was concerned, the sparks were anything but negative. But of course it could be bad for Allen. To her, Hitomi looked like she was beginning to fall for Dilandau and that the guy was already in it for Hitomi, although he looked oblivious to it if not in denial.

"Fine," Dilandau said with exasperation. He glared at Hitomi from across the table. "I'll stop smoking. Happy?"

Hitomi glared back at him, still irritated. "You're also drinking, aren't you?"

"What has that got to do with smoking?"

"Then you are! Why are you being like that? Don't you know that I heard your dad tell my father that you're really going to get it if he finds out that you do those things? What's next? Drugs?" She glared harder. "Viole is so wrong! The word isn't supposed to be *used to*. It's *still do*."

His eyes narrowed. 'So it's Viole who let it slip about my past. He's going to get it.'

"If you're thinking of hitting him for telling me the stuff about you, I'm going to push you off the school's rooftop. You're going to ruin Merle and Viole's romance! They're so cute together and if you do something to Viole and have Merle become so sad, you're really going to get it!"

He slowly broke into a smile. "So, you're a Merle-Viole pairing loyalist. Blake wouldn't be so happy to hear that."

"That blockhead? If I just had the chance to hit him back at the concert---"

"You what?!" Millerna interrupted.

Dilandau resisted the strong urge to laugh. Obviously, Hitomi doesn't kick ass back in America.

Hitomi's mood lightened and she giggled.

"Okay, let me get this straight and I mean straight---"

"Be as bloody honest as you want," Dilandau said to Millerna, already knowing that this was going to be one long time together just discussing the past few months.

"Hitomi called months ago to say that you two were thought to be fooling around with each other by your parents."

Hitomi rolled her eyes amusedly. "I can remember I was yelling at you and Yukari while I was ranting about it."

Dilandau grinned. "You know how that happened, Millerna?"

Millerna nodded. "Yes. And that wasn't so nice, letting your parents think that Tomi was," she rolled her eyes as she noticed Dilandau's gorgeous face lighten up with amusement. "Never mind."

Hitomi giggled beside her and turned to Dilandau, who in Millerna's opinion, was looking at Hitomi with too much warmth that it was almost giving her a blatant warning that Allen was going to have to go through hell before he can have Hitomi married to him.

She watched as Dilandau and Hitomi fell into an easy conversation about some things she never thought Hitomi would indulge in like playing some video games and entering kendo club. Her friend had definitely had some changes on her.

"You know, I think we just forgot something very important," Hitomi said, eyes widening as realization hit her. "We totally forgot to tell the others that we're eating out!"

"Don't worry. I called them up while you and Dilandau were going for the food," Millerna interrupted.

Hitomi relaxed and stared at the table. "I think I want to eat some more."

"What?"

"I want to eat."

Millerna's brows met in confusion. "Since when did you have so much appetite? The food we just ate isn't even THAT good."

"Yeah but I want to eat something," she said as she turned to Dilandau. "You're definitely bad for my health, Dilandau. You always make me eat and now I want to eat again! What if I gain so much weight on? I'm really going to skin you!"

"You're so thin, Hitomi. By the time you fatten up, you'd already be a grandmother."

Millerna watched as Hitomi argued with Dilandau. Around the two, she found herself always wondering if it was possible that Hitomi had found someone she can love far more than Allen. Back then, she had always thought that her green-eyed friend had given all her heart to Allen, but now, it's strange to know that Dilandau could take more than just her friend's heart.

She knew it the moment that Hitomi introduced Dilandau to them that he was a potential threat to Allen; what with him being able to rival Allen's good looks to the very last point and what with the rude but strangely magnetic attitude. But now, it seemed that he wasn't just a threat. He was an obstacle… a big one.

Dilandau obviously had a hold on Hitomi even if it was unconsciously. Back then, no one could change Hitomi's mood from one extreme point to another. But Dilandau could with just a word or even just a facial expression. And he even had her changing her appetite when not even Allen could do that. He was more than just a physical competitor. He was competition for Hitomi's hand in marriage!

'Great! I think I just lost my mind,' Millerna thought with frustration. 'Hitomi would marry no one but Allen! Dilandau is gorgeous and really, really magnetic. He can have this effect on Hitomi that none of us have but he's just Tomi's friend. That's all. He can't be a competition for marriage. Definitely not!'

She hesitated and looked at Hitomi's smiling face as she slapped Dilandau's hand before looking at Dilandau who rolled his eyes with a very faint smile on his red lips.

'Why do I feel like I'm just trying to convince myself?'

Chesta smiled as he looked at Dilandau from the corner of his eyes. His silver-haired friend looked tired but somehow there was a light manner around him. There wasn't a trace of the ominous air that was always around him especially the previous days when Hitomi and he was having some serious fight.

"What about it Chesta?"

"What?" He asked as he glanced quickly at the rearview mirror of the car he was currently driving towards the Kanzaki residence.

"We've already disturbed you so it wouldn't be nice if we just send you home after you drive us home."

He glanced at his side from the corner of his eye and saw Dilandau smile faintly. 'I wonder what he's thinking.' "I don't think your parents---"

"It's not like you'd do something there," Hitomi argued from the back passenger seat. "Besides, we woke you up in the middle of the night… or more like Dilandau woke you up in the middle of the night so you can give us a ride home."

"It's really alright. It's not like it's something new."

Dilandau tensed up and Chesta mentally kicked himself. Of course Hitomi didn't know anything and her knowing of what they were would end badly for Dilandau especially for him after Dilandau decides to torture him for letting Hitomi know. It was obvious that Hitomi is important to Dilandau and he would do anything to keep her.

"I always get late phone calls from many people," he said, trying to hide the nervousness he was beginning to feel.

When Hitomi didn't say anything, he grew more nervous and he could almost feel the pain that Dilandau would surely give him if something goes wrong.

"Is something wrong?" Millerna asked from beside Hitomi.

"I just remembered that I need to have a long talk with Dilandau later," Hitomi explained.

"Talk? About what?" Millerna probed again.

"Oh something about some stuff he didn't tell me about. We're just going to make some things clear."

"Hitomi---"

"She's right," Dilandau interrupted Chesta.

Chesta glanced at Dilandau for a moment and noticed his friend's defeated mood. "What?"

Dilandau didn't answer and it made him even more nervous. If Hitomi ends up hating Dilandau, then his red-eyed friend would end up hunting him down.

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **From the reviews, I noticed that you all love the fact that the ogre and the old man had made up and that Hiko verbally assaulted Allen. I also noticed that Allen is really hated. And that's the sad part coz when I started this I never wanted Allen to be hated because I believe that everyone has a good part of them even when others don't see it. Anyway, I am on the way of getting Allen out of the picture so not to worry.

      To **Catelina, not the best… I just had to maintain the bantering. It's what makes them the ogre and old man.**

      To **fluer21, flattering but I really don't think so. Besides, I think I just got off with luck.**

      To **mel_88, I'm feeling well now. Thanks.**

      To **honeypot, the heart of sword is a one-shot story but thanks for asking for it.**

      To **the original esca chick, pain? What happened?**

      To **Planeswalker, I hope reading it all once didn't make you stay up very late.**

      To **Kendra, I'm feeling better now thank you. No, as far as I can remember, Hitomi never carried a sword in the series. About the episodes, maybe there's a site for per summary episodes.**

      To **Izzy, I'm feeling well now thanks. Good thing you're not chasing me around with some weapon or something.**

      Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. They inspired me to write this chapter. No matter what, I'll continue as long as I have your encouragements and comments. Thank you very much for the support.


	5. Spending time and growing suspicions

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **moon smurf, the original esca chick, windsoffortune, one_mean_rabbit, dilly-sammas luver, Blue Demon, My Silver Flame, Colerachel, Always Dreaming, fallen-dark-angel, MysticalDreamer32, Fictional-gal, Kat-Tastrophe, Fuzzie, Magicman/Smokegirl, naria4, Izzy, who cares4, Aaridys, TiarellaCordifolia, Night of the Raven, DillyChic16, Xen003, Wendera Jade, Princess Neptune, SabrinaYutsuki, Catelina, blue ice 2, Koriina, Kendra and AFCAMistress

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 5: Spending time and growing suspicions**

"You're staying here and that's final. I'm not going to make you drive all the way to your place at this hour."

Chesta glanced briefly at Dilandau who was leaning on the car, mind obviously wandering. "Hitomi, I'd be alright and---"

"It's not like there'd be classes tomorrow," Hitomi interrupted. "So come on."

He was about to argue with the girls again when Dilandau spoke up. "Just stay for the night. They don't bite."

Hitomi smiled at Dilandau and then looked at Chesta triumphantly before she and Millerna walked inside the house followed by a very strange Dilandau, who looked as if he was steeling himself for some verbal blows from Hitomi.

"I didn't mean to---"

"It's about time anyway," Dilandau interrupted what he was saying. "She knows something. At least I'd get to tell her the whole story."

Chesta was left there standing outside the house beside his car. Dilandau was really changing. The guy practically hated to talk about his past and normally Dilandau would just backhand him till he's unconscious for doing something that would ruin his relationship with Hitomi, whatever it was. But he seemed to just surrender to the mess and he looked ready to just take on whatever hurt Hitomi would give him.

"I'm sorry. I just hope it turns out well," Chesta said almost quietly before he entered the house.

To say that Mr. Kanzaki was confused was an understatement. A few days ago, Hitomi's engagement to Dilandau was broken off and the two were obviously just itching to get away from each other. But now, Dilandau was in their house and Hitomi was asking for his permission about a sleep-over.

"Is it okay, dad?"

His musings had to be cut short and he turned to his wife who was smiling at him, before turning to Hiko who obviously wanted Dilandau around more than Allen.

"Dad?"

He turned to Hitomi and nodded. "Yes, I suppose. Do their parents know?"

Hitomi nodded. "We called them. They said yes."

Mr. Kanzaki looked at Dilandau who was sitting beside Hiko in a tense manner. "Are you sure, Tomi?"

"I am."

"Dilandau and his friend don't seem comfortable in my opinion."

He watched as his daughter turned to Dilandau who looked at her with a resigned look. He couldn't understand the children. They act as enemies and yet, there is something off, something was wrong with the picture.

"Dilandau just has problems with what I'm planning," Hitomi explained, eyes still on Dilandau.

"Dear, whatever you're planning, if Dilandau is not comfortable with it," Mrs. Kanzaki began.

"They'll talk," Hiko suddenly said, obviously exasperated now. "In case it's confusing everyone, they don't hate each other. They are just being some immature people who can't figure out what's what."

Millerna raised a brow at Hiko's explanation. It seemed to her that Hiko knew something more than what they all can see and it was making her uneasy. She looked at Chesta who seemed tensed about something. She didn't understand what was going on but she'd get to the bottom of it before their vacation ends.

"Well, Tomi?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked. "Is Hiko right?"

"Yes. Except for the last part," Hitomi said defensively. "Dilandau's immature but I'm definitely not!"

Dilandau's lips quirked up slightly at Hitomi's defense and Mr. Kanzaki took notice of that.

"What are you so tense about?" Hiko asked with irritation as he flipped through channels with an amazing speed.

Chesta looked at him with apprehension. "I reminded Hitomi of something and Dilandau's going to blow up on me if Hitomi…"

"They'd solve that," Hiko said with assurance. "Whatever their problem is that you reminded my sister about." He snorted. "Honestly, those two are just plain stupid."

"Hey!" Millerna interjected from her seat. "How dare you say that!"

Hiko gave Millerna a look of both irritation and surprise. She was sure loyal to Hitomi that it was both annoying and respect-garnering. He turned back to the still apprehensive Chesta. "If you're just going to worry all night, maybe I should just have you in your room now. You're distracting me from looking for a good show."

The blonde boy gave Hiko an incredulous look. "Now *I'm* distracting you? You're just flipping though channels with lightening speed. Do you even see what's in a channel before changing it?"

"That's how I look for a good show. But with you radiating your mood," Hiko trailed off and rolled his eyes. "It's almost like it's the end of the world. Relax. They'll solve whatever it is that's freaking you out."

"You think so?" Chesta asked uncertainly.

"What are they going to solve?" Millerna interrupted.

"Ask Chesta."

Millerna raised a brow at Chesta. "Well?"

He looked away and stood up. "Hiko, I think I'd go to sleep now."

"Finally!" Hiko exclaimed. "I thought I'd have to baby sit you and Millerna for the rest of the night while those two blind and not to mention stubborn youngsters handle things."

"Baby sit?" Millerna asked in disbelief. "Youngsters? Why do you say those things like you're so much older than us?"

"Because, Millerna, I am more mature than you all could ever be at this moment. I mean, gee," he said sarcastically. "Does brooding ever solve anything at all? And does minding other people's business ever---"

"We get the point," Chesta interrupted, noticing that Millerna's mood wasn't really THAT good anymore. "Now can we just go?"

Hiko nodded and left without any word to the scowling Millerna. From what Chesta could see, Hiko wasn't particularly fond of Hitomi's friend.

Dilandau would've fidgeted under Hitomi's stare if he had been any other guy. But of course, he didn't. He was Albatou Dilandau and he would never fidget. However, the way she was looking at him was giving him a clue that the talk would be full of shouting and so much verbal blows.

Hitomi rolled her eyes and left her post by her bedroom door to slump on her bed. "Start talking, old man."

He frowned from his position across from her bed. "Why don't you ask the question so I know what *you* want to focus on." 'Could she get more bossy or what?'

She stared at him and motioned for him to pull the chair near her bed. He rolled his eyes in exasperation but did what she motioned for anyway, silently berating himself for letting her boss him around. She looked at him for a while before finally saying anything.

"Why did you become one of the bad crowds?"

He looked at her, slight surprise in his red eyes gleaming for a second. He was expecting her to ask something else or even start accusing him of something.

"Why?" She repeated.

Leaning on the chair, he stared at the ceiling and took his time before answering her question. He never wanted to talk about what he regretted in his life. It brought him so much sense of loss of what he could've been now. But somehow, being in her room and talking to her was giving him some sort of anesthetics. He couldn't feel anything bad as if they were just going to talk about something normal.

"You do know how power works, don't you? I just wanted to know how it would be if I could hold so much power in my hand."

"That doesn't seem such a good reason to me."

"You don't understand. It's addicting. It feels so great that you'd lose yourself before you know it. And it was so much freedom, something I didn't have here then."

"You were a kid, Dilandau. You can't expect you parents to allow you to go driving a car and go home in the morning. Really, it's weird for you to just have that reason."

He exhaled sharply. "My father can be suffocating. When I found out I can have the power over others that he's using on me, it was exhilarating. Just seeing others fear me and do what I want them to do gives me the feeling of being in control of my life and everybody else's."

"In short," she said, amusement strangely lacing her voice. "You were doing what you hated about your father."

"Something like that," he said, finding it weird that the talk wasn't how he envisioned it to be. "This isn't so bad."

"Talking?"

"Yeah."

"To the right person, it isn't."

He grinned. "So you're implying you're the right person to talk to?"

A pillow hit him square on the face before he could react. "Just go suck a doorknob."

He mock glared at her. He couldn't get why he enjoyed being around her so much. From way before when he was annoying her and up to now where light banters where the only thing keeping him amused, he just seemed to be happier. It was both good news and bad news. He had obviously found someone who he could most likely trust with everything. But then, trusting so much could mean so much more exposure to the risks of getting hurt.

"What was the mall fight all about anyway?"

"Some unfinished business from the past."

"What about the time before we got engaged?"

"What part of that? We had plenty of time annoying each other."

"Hey," she said defensively. "You were the only one annoying me! But going back to what I was saying, you know, the time when I walked off towards a back building or something while my mind was elsewhere."

A frown surfaced on his features for a moment.

"Don't even think about lying. We're supposed to be talking HONESTLY here."

He gave an exasperated sigh. "Drugs."

She frowned. "What about drugs?"

He glared at her. "You know what it's about. Now another question."

"Oh no you don't. You're not going to just change the topic. What about drugs?"

Silence.

Then realization hit her. "You were still having drugs then? You mean I just let some drug addict… Dilandau! How can you be so… never mind. With your way of thinking, I'm not even supposed to ask." She then glared. "Are you still---"

"Of course not! That was the last time."

"Hey, people who're hooked don't just stop with a snap."

"I stopped long before that. I got sent off for some treatment."

"So what was that all about then?"

"I just settled some business and it so happened there were stuff that---"

"Okay, but about the treatment."

"Make up your mind, woman. You're getting exasperating."

She giggled suddenly. "Woman? Since when do you use that term as an insult?"

"Since you drove me crazy. Now stop being so inconsistent and let's just finish this interview."

"Touchy, touchy. I think I'm treading on some stuff here."

"Actually, I just discovered that it's not as bad to talk about the past when it comes to pain and guilt. But it's bad to talk about it because you make fun of it."

She laughed. "You're acting like some embarrassed kid. Let me guess. You were sent to some treatment in a mental hospital?" She burst out laughing. "I could just imagine you there. You must have driven everyone there crazier than ever. And maybe you got into a fight with one of the mental patients there because he was watching news and you told him it was a replayed episode and you changed the channel!"

He rolled his eyes. "Stop laughing and just ask some questions so I can go kill you then."

Her laughing increased and he was getting annoyed at being the center of her amusement. At the moment, he didn't know which he would've preferred for the talk, a very serious and dramatic one or a light but annoying one.

After a long time of Hitomi continuously making fun of him, she finally asked another question.

"What about those guys when you were following me around your motorcycle? You didn't hire them, did you?"

"No," he said flatly. "Why would I waste my time so I can play hero for you?"

"Because you're crazy and you enjoy annoying me at every given turn."

He rolled his eyes. "As if you're not crazy yourself."

She just shrugged. "So, Viole mentioned about bed stuff."

He raised a brow. "What about them?"

"Tell me about those stuff."

A smirk slowly came to his red lips. "Why Hitomi, I never knew you had a streak for hearing sensual things."

She threw another pillow at him. "Hey! I was just asking for something like why you did those stuff and all. I wasn't asking for details like what you really do when you take someone to bed!"

"Well how should I know?" He asked with mock innocence as he threw one pillow back at Hitomi.

"Oh please," she said sarcastically but then she smiled softly. "You know what? I'm glad that you don't seem like a hormone-driven teenager. Even when you are so insulting, I like you."

He smiled back. "Well even when you're an ogre… I do respect you."

"You really are growing soft on me, Dilandau."

He threw the other pillow back at Hitomi. "What's the deal about Allen?"

She looked at him strangely. "What about Allen?"

"Hiko hates him."

"Oh that," she said distastefully. "He's been a playboy and Hiko thinks he's just going to hurt me."

"And your friends?"

"I'm sure you've heard so much from Hiko about them."

"Yeah, but aren't you going to say anything else? You know, deny or something?"

"No. Hiko's not lying." She sat up and sighed. "They act, I mean, we act like we own the world. Stuck-up bunch of popular people who think of nothing but our own fun… it doesn't bother me before. But it does now especially since I know how it feels to be the target of bad attention."

Guilt knocked on him and he vacated his chair to sit beside her on her bed. "I could do something."

She smiled. "Reputation, remember? So let's just drop that. I'm not going to hear you suggesting something that would ruin you."

"It's my fault."

"It's mine, too. But I guess this is retribution for me being such a stuck-up missy before."

"It's too much."

"It's just a year more."

They fell silent.

It was surprising how things could blow like the wind between them. The talk was changing its mood constantly and it was queer how it could change from so unrelated emotions to another.

"Do you still want to eat?" He asked, trying to change the mood.

She smiled. "That reminds me…"

"What did I do now?"

"Nothing. But Viole mentioned some things during our talk."

"And what's that aside from me being a bad a**?"

Hitomi giggled. "He said that you care for me."

"And that's supposed to be funny?" He asked with irritation.

She looked incredulous. "Of course it is! I mean he said that in a way that he makes it look as if you care in a boyfriend sort of way. I mean he even said that you're better the way you are when you're with me."

"Did he now?" He asked cautiously, trying to sound amused but failing miserably. Viole was really going to get it. 'What the hell was he thinking when he let his mouth run away like that?!'

"When I said that you didn't trust me, he said that you were trying to keep me. Does that sound hilarious or what? I mean, what? It's not like I'm your girlfriend. I mean, we're just two people forced to be with each other which is technically not anymore since the engagement is off."

"I know," he muttered darkly.

She didn't notice though as she continued laughing. "I wonder how they'd react if we tell them the stuff about the engagement? That reminds me, he even said that you sure are taking your guardian duties to another level. Can I say funny or what?" She stood up and walked towards the door, grinning delightedly. "Let's talk later. I'm hungry. Cook for me?"

He nodded and she didn't wait for him. She bounced away like a kid excited about something.

"Maybe I am," he said quietly. "But it's not like you'd care… Allen is here."

At six in the morning, Millerna decided to leave her room. She couldn't sleep anymore and she was wondering what had happened to Hitomi and Dilandau the previous night. Deciding to drink a glass of water, she walked towards the kitchen and to her surprise, saw Hitomi eating a plate of spaghetti by the kitchen counter.

"Good morning," Hitomi greeted with a smile.

"Good morning," she greeted back, walking towards the refrigerator to get her self a glass of water. "You're up so early. Didn't you stay up late?"

"Oh I did."

"Alone?"

"No. I was talking to Dilandau all night. Technically, I just had four hours of sleep."

Millerna frowned. 'They talked THAT long? ALONE?' "So, why are you up so early?"

"I was dreaming of spaghetti and I decided to not wait till everyone's up."

"YOU prepared spaghetti for yourself?" The blonde girl asked in disbelief. "Since when did you learn how to cook?"

"Oh I didn't make this," Hitomi said in a highly amused voice. "I dragged Dilandau off from dreamland and had him make this for me."

The blonde's frown deepened. "He didn't sleep in your room, did he?" She drank her water but watched her friend from the corner of her eyes.

"Of course not! He'd hog the bed to himself if he was there."

Millerna chocked. "WHAT?!"

"I said he'd hog the bed to himself if he was there."

Her coughing fit increased and when she finally had a hold on herself, she looked at her green-eyed friend as if she was somebody from outer space. "He slept in your bed once then?"

Hitomi swallowed and took another forkful before shrugging and eating it. "So many times."

Blue eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

"He sleeps on my bed when he hangs around and waits up for me to finish my assignments. When I have to force him to do his assignments he gets too tired to haul himself somewhere else to sleep so he sleeps in my bed. When---"

"Okay, I don't care for the list of reasons. But the fact that you let HIM sleep on your bed---"

"He sleeps there alone and during daylight. And if ever we're on the same bed at the same time, it's when I'm waking him up but he doesn't like to wake up so I'm trying to suffocate him with a pillow." Hitomi grinned then, a happy twinkle reflecting on her emerald orbs.

Millerna couldn't say anything. She was really having a very bad feeling about Hitomi and Dilandau's *friendship*. The two could pass for two people who are in love with each other but couldn't really notice it for themselves. Either that or they're both denying what they obviously feel for each other.

"Hey, want some? It's really good. I can't even understand how he can cook up a rumble-causing meal. I mean when you smell what's cooking, full or not, I'm sure your stomach would rumble. And all I can cook up is a storm. You know, with every ingredient spilled or all over the place. And then my dish would actually be similar to that of a poison with no presentation at all!"

She didn't comment on what Hitomi was saying. She merely listened. And after a long time of Hitomi giving good comments on Dilandau, the green-eyed girl finally noticed her silence and her unmoving state.

"Are you alright? Did I say something?"

She remained quiet for a few seconds before muttering in a very soft voice that it was not perceptible enough for Hitomi to hear. "You like him, don't you?"

Green eyes full of questions fixed on the blonde girl as she stood rigidly near the refrigerator. "What? I couldn't hear you."

Millerna was saved from repeating what she said by Hiko, who came inside the kitchen at that precise moment.

"Just as I suspected," he said, walking towards the kitchen counter and getting Hitomi's fork before eating a mouthful of spaghetti. "You made Dilandau cook for you. He was grumbling when I came across him in the hallway mere seconds ago. He was just leaving the guest room and he was saying something about not being able to go back to sleep anymore."

"Yeah, and it's your sister's fault," Dilandau's voice declared as he walked in the kitchen, scowling. "You can be such a pain, Hitomi. Why couldn't you just try cooking for yourself?"

Hiko laughed. "You had my sister accustomed to YOU cooking for her. Whenever she'd start, you come in and do it for her. And when you let her and she ends up slicing her skin or something, you always berate her and just do the rest."

"I do NOT."

Hitomi rolled her eyes and grabbed her fork away from Hiko. "I was eating this. Get yourself another serving." She turned towards Millerna's direction. "Try this out. Even when Dilandau's annoying me this early, he can really cook something."

"Who annoyed who first?" Dilandau shot back.

The green-eyed ogre ignored the angry old man and the laughing hyena of a brother and continued to eat her food.

Hiko continued to laugh making Dilandau turn to him with an increased irritation. "What's so funny?"

"When a person is interrupted from sleep and he couldn't go back to dreamland, he sure can get grouchy."

"Grouchy? Well, blame your sister for that," he said in annoyance as he slumped on the chair near the kitchen counter and continued to scowl.

"Blame me?!" Hitomi exclaimed, dropping the fork on the plate.

The grin on Hiko's face widened. It never ceased to amuse him how Dilandau and Hitomi can both bring the bad temper out of each other. "Before you two fight it out, where's my breakfast?"

Dilandau glared at him. "Go suck a doorknob!"

Hiko laughed like crazy. Dilandau was becoming much like Hitomi.

Millerna watched closely, the scene before her conveying so much more than she wanted to see and realize.

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **Excuse me for the result. Exams and all is here and well, I don't have much time to write and check if it's alright. Anyway, I really need to go to school now so, I leave with a thanks to all those who are still here and supporting the story. Thank you and may you have a nice day. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Till next time…

      To **one_mean_rabbit**, glad you read the one-shot one and actually liked it. I don't think I can do another one like that. I'm not good especially at one-shots.

      To **Blue Demon**, sorry to disappoint you. No indepth background of Dilandau in this chapter. I was hurrying so much.

      To **Colerachel**, lol. Can't. I almost didn't make this update on time and it's a weekly one. What more with everyday updates. I could give a sentence or two maybe.

      To **MysticalDreamer32**, sorry for the mixed up tenses. I don't have time to check on what I write and yeah I know it's my responsibility but it's kind of hard when you have a lot to do.

      To **Aaridys**, what can I say? I'm flattered. A whole sunday just for this is something. The mistakes. Sorry. I don't have time to check on what I write so you know, just excuse me for that. But your review did assure me that I'm not rushing the character change too much.

      To **TiarellaCordifolia**, thanks for reviewing the other two long-done Intruder Alerts.

      To **Wendera**** Jade, Allen? Sailor Senshi? Lol. I could almost imagine it.**


	6. Figuring things out

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **SabrinaYutsuki , the original esca chick, fallen-dark-angel, Blue Demon, dilly-sammas luver, one_mean_rabbit, Kat-Tastrophe, My Silver Flame, DillyChic16, MysticalDreamer32, T T, Colerachel, Fuzzie, blue ice 2, windsoffortune, Wendera Jade, Izzy, mel_88, naria4, Magicman/Smokegirl, Night of the Raven, Catelina, who cares4, AFCAMistress, CrAyOnS tAstE LIkE pUrple, Princess Neptune, dreamingofflyingaway, Mad Meg Askevron****

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 6: Figuring things out**

Hitomi tapped her foot impatiently. "Where is that old man?"

Allen looked at his girlfriend steadily. He wasn't sure of what he was going to think of.

They were outside the mall, waiting for the silver-haired friend of Hitomi. It had been a little more than a week since he first met Dilandau through Hitomi, since Dilandau spent a night at Hitomi's house. He had asked Millerna about it but all she said was that Dilandau and Hitomi just talked about some stuff. It was like Millerna was trying to sort something out for herself. And it was giving him a warning signal.

"Just voicing out," Yukari said suddenly. "But do we really have to wait up for him? I mean, shouldn't it be just us? It's been so long since you've moved out of America."

"Yukari is right," Gades backed up. "WE should be bonding alone."

"Yes but Dilandau knows the place like he does his room," Hitomi argued back. "He'd be the tour guide. I could get us lost. We aren't only going to the mall you know."

Amano looked at Millerna who looked slightly apprehensive. "Are you alright?"

Millerna nodded. "Yeah. I'm just thinking of something." 'Yeah like if you guys would also see what I've been seeing and if Allen and Hitomi would fight it off because of Dilandau.'

"A penny for you thoughts?" Sarah asked with a smile.

"No time," the blonde girl said as she tilted her head towards the approaching motorcycle where a certain red-eyed heartthrob was.

Dilandau approached them. "Early, aren't we?" He asked Hitomi with laughter in his voice.

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "What was keeping you?"

"Hey, I'm on time," he said defensively. "Besides, I think you've just been a bad influence on my sister. She was bugging me the whole time to give her a ride to the other side of town. You sure taught her how to boss me around."

"Stop talking. Show us around now."

"Bossy ogre," he said almost unintelligibly.

Hitomi glared. "Yeah, yeah. Now do your job."

"Hey, it's not like you're paying me, your majesty," he said sarcastically.

Allen raised a brow. Why was it that even when the two were having a verbal war it seemed so natural and so good-humored? He didn't even notice the reaction of the others which were almost like his own except for Millerna who looked even more uncertain.

"It looks weird on you," Dilandau commented flatly as Hitomi held up a pair of big flower-like earrings.

Hitomi sighed and put the pair away. But then she smiled and then looked at Dilandau. "Hey…"

He stepped away almost nervously. "No."

"I didn't say anything yet."

"I said no."

"No?"

"Yeah, no."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Fine," said Hitomi as she reached up to him.

"I said no."

"Yeah. That's why I'm trying it out on you."

"WHAT?!"

She grinned smugly. "My question was if you'd like me to not give it to you. You said no so it means like no I'd like you to give it to me. So I'm trying it out on you if it would really suit you."

He glared and pulled the earrings from her. He handed the pair back to the saleslady before dragging her away towards her nearby friends.

"Hey, I was being nice."

He scoffed. "Yeah. Damn nice."

She rolled her eyes and looked at her friends. "Swim wear?"

The girls nodded and watched as Hitomi dragged both Allen and Dilandau towards the swim wear section. Soon they followed.

"Do not even suggest, Dilandau," Hitomi said promptly. "I am not considering a bikini EVER unless you wear one first."

Dilandau grinned challengingly. "So, if I wear one---"

"Definitely, I'd reconsider."

"You never liked bikinis," Allen interrupted.

"Yeah. But if Dilandau wears one, then I might wear one."

Allen frowned and threw Dilandau a look of suspicion which the latter didn't notice as he was busy grinning back at Hitomi's smiling face. He wasn't really the jealous type but for the last hours they spent together, he wanted nothing more than just drag Hitomi away from Dilandau.

"Hey!" Hitomi suddenly said. "Let's just check out some video games."

The blonde looked at his girlfriend with a puzzled expression. "Video games? For Hiko?"

Hitomi laughed. "No, Allen. For us. You really should try playing some video games. It's fun. And I can't imagine how I never liked it before. When you start up with it especially the really good ones, you'd love it! Dilandau's good and he's a pro but I can beat him so it means I'm better."

Dilandau rolled his eyes. "You enjoy gloating, ogre."

She stuck out her tongue at Dilandau. "So what? I deserve to gloat anyway. Allen, you've got to play with Dilandau and me sometime---"

"You two play video games?"

"Yeah. He's the one who taught me." Hitomi smiled at Dilandau briefly before looking at Allen. "Let's check them out? Please?"

"Well," Allen answered. "If it's what you want."

"Great! Let's go then!" Hitomi then walked ahead, Dilandau walking near her. "What do you think, Dilandau? Is the latest video game there already? How much do you think it would cost?"

"Hey, I'm not a price list," Dilandau answered.

"You should start being one so I wouldn't have to always wonder. Hey! Do you think we could also get a couple of pop rock and R & B CDs?"

Dilandau smiled. "Why get one? I could sing."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. And I'd probably have my eyes rolled on the floor with every song you sing."

"Why do you always roll your eyes when I sing anyway? I can sing the songs very well you know."

"Oh come on. You sing off-key!"

"I do NOT!"

"Yes, you do. You imitate the song so horribly."

"I do NOT!"

Hitomi frowned and pushed Dilandau forward. "Yeah, whatever. It's still the same, Dilandau. I'm not going to allow you to sing unless you take voice lessons!"

"Why don't we just stick with the games and maybe some movies then?"

She smiled. "Oh yeah! A good, dramatic one---"

"Yes, and you'd start bawling your eyes out as usual." Dilandau rolled his eyes. "Why do you even cry for some dumb, sappy movies anyway? It's not like you haven't seen them more than a million times or something."

"Well, they touch my heart even when I've seen them many times. Unlike someone I know. Then again, you don't have a heart." She looked back at her friends. "Are you all coming or what?"

By the end of the day, the rest was getting uneasy. It doesn't take a genius to know and identify the thing between Hitomi and Dilandau, no matter how oblivious the two were about it. Hitomi was always talking about Dilandau when discussing with her friends and Dilandau was practically at Hitomi's beck and call even if he looked like he was being forced.

"Yeah, right," Hitomi muttered sarcastically as she threw her bag towards Dilandau's stomach.

"Hey!" Dilandau exclaimed with irritation.

The two were having another verbal war again that seemed so right in a way that it was almost normal for the two of them.

"I think we should get going," Allen interrupted as he pulled Hitomi away. "Thanks for showing us around, Dilandau."

Without waiting for Dilandau's reply, he ushered Hitomi inside his car and the others followed quickly, squeezing themselves inside.

Hitomi looked at Millerna beside her and then at Allen, who was driving the car in a hurried manner. "Are you in a hurry or what?"

He didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on the road and his jaws were locked tightly.

"Okay," Hitomi said slowly, suddenly feeling awkward in the middle of her friends' presence.

The rest of the ride was quiet and full of tension.

"Will you please sit down?" Sarah asked tiredly as she watched Allen pace back and forth.

Allen didn't seem to hear her as he continued pacing in a furious pace. His handsome features were twisted in a frown and his friends sat around the living room with apprehension as they watched him. Finally after a long time of pacing, he stopped.

"They like each other," he said in a low voice.

"You're just thinking too much," Yukari reasoned.

He whirled around and looked at her intently. "Am I? Yukari, it doesn't take a genius to know they're attracted to each other! Tomi may act rough around him but I know her well enough to know that she's falling for that guy!"

Amano shook his head. "But there's no assurance that the guy likes her back anyway."

"What do you mean there's no assurance?!" Allen practically yelled as he glared at Amano who was sitting beside Yukari. "I may not be like Dilandau, but I know when a guy is seriously into a girl!"

"How?" Gades challenged, hoping to quiet Allen down.

The blonde guy just sighed in exasperation as he sat beside Millerna. "He looks at her the way I do," he said despairingly. "He looks at her in a way that says she's everything even when she's really not."

"So, you'll just give her up then?" Sarah asked as she looked at Allen's dejected expression. "You're her boyfriend for crying out loud! He's just her friend. Right, Millerna?"

Millerna bit her lower lip. She couldn't lie to her friends but she seriously doubted that saying her true opinion would lighten everything up. She could feel every attention on her and she was getting nervous.

"You agree with me, don't you?" Allen asked softly, already knowing what her answer would be.

She nodded reluctantly. "But Allen, we could all be wrong. Maybe they're just close. Maybe we're just seeing things. Maybe those two are just acting up. Maybe---"

"There aren't any maybes here!" Allen interrupted, again in a not so subdued mood. "Dilandau's not the type who gives up what he wants! I just know it. And I'm sure about what I see whenever he's around Tomi. He likes her!"

"It's just like, Allen," Gades soothed. "No big deal."

"What do you mean no big deal?!" The blonde asked as he stood up and started pacing again. "Most things start with like. Besides, I know that he's into her! The way he acts, the way he speaks, the way he looks at her! Everything says so much!"

"He acts arrogant," Yukari reasoned. "He speaks tactlessly, and he glares at her. Yes it speaks much."

"I agree with Yukari," Sarah and Amano immediately said at the same time.

"He's just denying his feelings!"

"Why are you so sure?" Sarah asked challengingly.

"Because I was exactly like him although in a different way! I act nonchalant around Tomi before I admitted that I actually got myself tied down to the idea of wanting a permanent girlfriend. I couldn't take it that my playboy years were gone so I denied everything until I finally cracked and courted her. Dilandau's almost like that. I just know it. He just doesn't realize what he feels yet and I'm sure he's beginning to realize but he's denying everything. But when he figures it all out---"

"Then don't wait for him to figure everything out!" Millerna suddenly shouted.

Everyone turned to her. She looked frustrated beyond any time they had seen her.

"Let's quit lying," the blonde girl murmured. "We all know that he's attracted to her. It's plainly seen. But Allen, it doesn't mean you just have to admit defeat. Hitomi is your girlfriend and she loves you. Fight for her."

"How can I fight for her when she is obviously attracted to Dilandau?!" Allen countered. "It's a different attraction, I just know it! I can feel it! We can all feel it!"

"But they don't," Amano pointed out. "So you still have a choice. Either you just let her walk away without a fight, or you try one more time to win her back."

Allen's blue eyes shone more than usual with restrained pain. "What if I can't win her back?"

No one answered. They merely looked away as the heavy atmosphere became even heavier. Allen clenched his jaw as he strode out of the living room, heart tightening at the thought of losing the only girl he truly loved.

She paced her room and kept on thinking about what had gone wrong that day. She couldn't understand why her friends had suddenly tensed up by the end of that day. And she found it rude that they immediately left Dilandau.

"Now he'd really agree with Hiko that my friends are stuck-up," she mumbled as she finally plopped down on her bed. "Unless…"

Reaching out for her phone, she dialed Dilandau's number and waited for him to answer. After a couple of rings, he finally answered with an irritated, "What?!"

"Did I disturb you?" She asked.

His harsh tone changed immediately. "No. Of course not."

"Yeah right. And you weren't sounding irritated when you answered."

"I wasn't," he said defensively. "I was just…"

"Just?"

"Fine, so I was irritated."

She kept quiet and he quickly assured her before she could start yelling at him.

"But it doesn't have to do with you calling."

"Does it have something to do with my friends?"

"Not really."

She frowned. "You're lying."

On the other line, Dilandau shook his head and slumped on his chair. If he told Hitomi, she'd kill him.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. Just tell me honestly." She sighed then. "Actually, that's the reason I've called up. I can't even understand why they acted weird by the end of the day."

"They want me out."

"No. Of course not."

"Hitomi, I'm not blind. Allen is wary of me and I'm sure the entire ride home for you had been quite awkward."

"Now that you mentioned it, well it was tensed… it was awkward. But why would Allen be wary of you? It's not like he knows about the engagement right?"

He shrugged even when he knew she couldn't see it. "He's… well… he's your boyfriend."

"So? It's not the first time I've been around other guys aside from Gades and Amano. Besides, it's not like I'm kissing you or anything."

For a moment, Dilandau smirked. "I wonder what he'd do if he catches us kissing."

"Dilandau!" Hitomi exclaimed, obviously outraged. "We're trying to figure them out and here you are joking around like some moron!"

"Hey, just trying to lighten up the mood," he said, somehow wondering why he sounded like he didn't believe his own words.

"Whatever. Well you're a guy, what do you think is the reason why Allen is wary of you? He can't be jealous. He's not the jealous type. Besides, how come the rest of my friends were acting strange, too?"

"Why are you even asking me? You know them better than I do."

"Well yeah. But at least you can see what I don't. Besides, I'm discussing this with you so when I got it all figured out, you won't have to ask anymore questions because you know the answers."

"Point taken." He ran his hand through his hair as he contemplated for a moment. "Do you think they're suspecting something about an engagement? Millerna does know that both our parents thought we were fooling around with each other."

"She would've asked me first before telling them."

"Then what do you think is up with your pals?"

"I don't know. You seemed to get along well with them before… well until the time when we parted ways this afternoon."

Suddenly, something clicked in Dilandau's mind. Allen was indeed jealous of him! He just knew it even without proof. And the rest of Hitomi's friends were of course siding Allen so they acted the way they did earlier that afternoon. But he couldn't figure out what there was to be jealous about except the engagement. So if it wasn't that, then the rest must be seeing something else and telling Hitomi that wouldn't help a bit. She'd think that Hiko and he are conspiring against her friends.

"You're quiet all of a sudden. Why? Did I say something?"

He was quickly snapped out of his own thoughts. "Uh, Hitomi, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Sure."

He hesitated for a moment. "If your friends… well… if they dislike me for some reason… would you follow their lead?"

"Why would they dislike you?"

"Just answer the question."

"Well, even if they have a very good reason, I wouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because whatever it is that's between you and them have nothing to do with me. Even if they're my friends, I also have the freedom to choose the people I can like and dislike regardless of what they think. I mean just look at me. My brother doesn't like them but I'm with them, aren't I? And I love them dearly, too."

"I see. What if they want you to stay away from me?"

"Why would they want that?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just answer it."

"Fine. Well if they give me a very good reason I would."

He kept quiet and Hitomi wondered if she said the wrong answer and if she had offended him.

"Do you get hurt when Hiko says bad things about them even when it's all true?"

She thought about the first few months she had hung around with her friends. "Yeah. It hurts but I got the hang of it after many years. But every now and then, I could still feel the hurt and I wonder if it's possible that both my loved ones would stop hating each other. Sometimes, I feel torn on the decisions I have to make knowing that with whatever I would choose, I'll be disappointing someone. You know, especially with Hiko and Allen disliking each other all the time." She sighed. "I'm sorry for how they acted a while ago. I hope you're not thinking negatively of them and I hope you're not with Hiko on this because I would be even more lost in this issue."

"It wouldn't matter, Hitomi. I'm just your friend. Well, if you even consider me one," he said almost bitterly, making him surprised at his own tone.

She laughed. "You're crazy, Dilandau. Before I would never expect myself to say this but… you're more than just a friend, Dilandau. You're as dear to me as Allen and the rest of my family and friends are. So what you think about my friends would matter because you're important to me. Better believe that. I'm not kidding."

He laughed slightly. "You're softening up on the old man, ogre."

Her giggles made him smile. "Well, I think it's just fair. You've gone soft on me since a long time ago. And I… well I… I'm happy because of that. I never really said it before but… thanks for being there for me even when I've pushed you away most of the time."

A fond smile unknowingly brightened his handsome face. "Do I pass as a chivalrous knight in your standards now?"

She laughed once more, her laughter sending a warm feeling through him for some reason he didn't know. "Allen's already that knight."

"Oh," he said, his voice containing the disappointment he didn't want to show.

"But you can be the handsome, evil prince who turned delightful and endearing."

"Isn't that a bit too much?"

"No. It's just the way you truly are. It's almost hard to believe that I hated you before. But then, you were such an annoying, arrogant a**. Not that you aren't still like that but---"

"Gee, thanks," he interrupted sarcastically.

"I'm not through yet! I was going to say that even when you're still like that I think you're a nice person as a whole. That even when you're like that I like you just the way you are."

He smiled. "What can I say? Thanks?"

"You don't have to say anything. Anyway, I apologize for the way my friends acted."

"That's alright."

"You even turned forgiving!" She giggled. "You've really softened up."

He snorted. "Just don't take advantage of that one, ogre."

"Whatever. So, will you still be around to---"

"I don't think it's a nice option, Hitomi."

"Why?"

"Your friends and I don't really match up."

"You got along with them."

"Until recently. If you don't want to give me a reason to side Hiko on this, maybe you should just let this drop. It's not that I don't like them and I wouldn't say it's them that don't like me coz I know it'd make you feel worse about this. So let's just say, I'm just going to be an interruption."

She thought about his answer and reflected on what had happened. She sighed. "You know, if I'm not crazy, I think my friends think we are more than friends. And I'm sorry because they may be thinking you're an enemy for Allen's sake. Maybe you're right. So I suppose let's just keep out of each other when they're around. I wouldn't want them especially Allen to do or say something against you."

'And I wouldn't want you to agonize over who to side,' he thought.

"Well, it seems to me that the result isn't exactly good." She sighed. "Well, they'd be back in America soon anyway. And they don't know about the engagement so there wouldn't be any mess to make them dislike you. There wouldn't be anything to argue about."

"Yeah." He hesitated but asked anyway. "Do you really like Allen?"

"More than that. I love Allen. We've been together for a long time and even when he's a playboy, I know that he loves me back. When I graduate college and he proposes, I'm not going to think twice. It's hard to find someone you truly love with all that you are. But I found that someone." She then giggled. "Sorry for blabbing. Well anyway, I'm going to let you sleep now. Let's just hope everything goes on smoothly. I wouldn't want any fight at all."

"Me, too."

"Really? You seemed to enjoy fights."

"Not when it hurts you."

She was surprised by his answer but he was even more surprised than she could ever be. He concluded that he had really lost his mind.

"Goodnight, Hitomi," he just said and didn't even wait for her to answer as he ended the call then and went into his bathroom to take a shower and clear his mind.

Hitomi on the other hand recovered from her shock but then smiled. Somehow, she liked the idea of Dilandau softening up on her enough not to like the things he used to enjoy when it would hurt her.

"Hitomi~"

The honey-brown haired girl groaned slightly at the repeatedly calling voice of Hiko. She had stayed up late the previous night just talking to Dilandau.

"Hitomi~"

"What?!" She snapped as she forced her eyes to open.

"Dad asked me to tell you to start preparing now."

She sat up with a frown. "Now? Why?"

"Your friends are coming, aren't they? Besides, Dilandau and his family are coming over."

"What for?"

Hiko shrugged. "No clue. But maybe it's friendship stuff? You know how dad is close to Mr. Albatou and they barely have time to stop for a breather. So maybe this is some sort of lunch between two close friends or something."

She nodded after a while and then stared at the alarm clock on her bedside table. She nearly fell off the bed as she realized that it was already a couple of minutes before twelve noon meaning her friends would be in soon.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?!" She screamed as she scrambled out of bed and ran to her closet.

"Hey," Hiko said defensively as he walked towards the door. "I was yelling at you to wake up for the past hour ever since dad told me to tell you."

She ignored him then as she rushed towards the bathroom, clothes and bathrobe in tow.

"She's still in bed," Mrs. Kanzaki explained as she welcomed the teens inside the house. "Hiko's been trying for the past hour to wake her up."

"That's alright, auntie," Yukari said with a smile. "We're a bit early anyway."

They sat down on the couch as Mrs. Kanzaki excused herself. It was a bit later when, Hiko strode in the living room and sat down on the free chair, holding a cordless phone on his ear.

"Uh-huh," he mumbled, never even sparing his sister's friends a glance. "I know. And I just hope no one would mention about the uh, thing." He continued nodding absently as he listened to whoever was on the other line. "Wait, I'm coming with mom to meet you guys up." Without further ado, Hiko ended the call and walked out of the living room.

"Yup, he really hates us," Sarah commented.

Gades sighed. "That kid sure is weird. I don't even get why he hates us too much."

"That's simple," Millerna said. "To him we're a bunch of stuck-up popular people who cares about nothing else but ourselves."

Yukari frowned. "Hiko is taking this too far."

Amano nodded. Allen just sighed and leaned back, hoping that everything would turn out alright. He was having a bad feeling about everything.

Celena leaned on the car seat as she placed her cellphone back in her small bag. She sighed and looked at her twin beside her who was frowning at having to be dragged to Hitomi's place.

"You really don't want to go, do you?"

Dilandau grunted. "No. I was dying to go," he mumbled sarcastically.

"I thought you and Hitomi made up. You were with her yesterday, weren't you? Or where you just making up that alibi so I wouldn't bug you to take me to my appointment?"

Mr. Albatou looked at his children briefly on the rearview mirror before sending his wife a look which she returned with a graceful shrug.

"Even if it was made up, it didn't work," he shot irately. "I hate bossy people."

Celena giggled. "But you don't hate Hitomi."

Red eyes glared at her but she giggled more, completely unfazed knowing that her brother would never strangle her with their parents around.

"Why?" She asked. "Did you two fight it off again? Honestly, you two should just get married."

"Celena, just go suck a doorknob!" Dilandau said angrily.

"Why don't you want to go anyway?"

"Her friends might be there!" He snapped. "And there are more chances of messing things up with her and her friends if I'm around!"

"What do you mean mess things up?"

"Celena, one more word…" He left the threat hanging.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm shutting up."

From the driver's seat, Donkirk frowned. He was sure he was missing something in the picture. Dilandau supposedly hated Ryu's daughter but the way Celena was teasing her twin, it was obvious that hate isn't the only thing in the emotional plane but something more. Besides, Dilandau spending time with Hitomi?

Donkirk shook his head in resignation as he pulled up the car in front of the Kanzaki residence.

At the dining room, they all sat for lunch after the necessary introductions were made.

"Yeah, I took up ballet," Celena muttered at Millerna's question.

Hitomi smiled. So far, everything was alright. There was none of the tension from yesterday and her friends seemed to like the fact that Celena was her friend here. Even Hiko wasn't saying anything to her friends. And their parents were even partaking in their conversation every once in a while.

"So, how's school?" Yukari asked suddenly.

Celena looked at her food uncomfortably for a while before answering. "It was alright."

Yukari nodded, not even noticing that the topic was a sensitive one to Hitomi and Celena. "You're really strong. Even when the whole school was unpleasant to Tomi, you're still her friend. I hope they didn't become too hard on you."

Hitomi forced a smile. She had not told her friends the details on how school was. That being Celena's friend had been one of the reasons why she was hated even more. And it seemed to her, Celena was feeling guilty about it which Hitomi did not want at all.

"School's out so it's totally outdated," Sarah said, sensing the discomfort of Celena and Hitomi. "You like shopping Celena?"

Celena nodded. "Yeah. It's fun. I shop with Hitomi from time to time."

"Just time to time?" Amano asked with a smile. "Back in America, we go to the mall almost everyday."

Gades laughed. "Yeah. Even when we just buy some things like pencils."

Hitomi's friends laughed at their mall syndrome.

Hiko snorted. "Yeah, how pathetic."

The honey-brown haired Hitomi sent her brother a glare but Hiko merely rolled his eyes and snickered at her irritation.

"Well, it's only from time to time since we don't spend all the time together."

"Why not?" Yukari prodded.

"Hitomi spends most of her time with my brother."

"Yeah," Hiko agreed.

Allen, who had not said much for the past time, looked up from his food and directly at Hiko's grinning face.

The rest smiled uncomfortably and Hitomi had to change the topic quickly. "Dilandau's nice enough to keep me company."

Dilandau looked like he had no plan of saying anything at all for the rest of the time for he just shrugged.

"Dilandau's been nice?" Mr. Albatou asked. "Hitomi, you're a very sweet young lady. You don't have to really say things to boost up Dilandau. If I remember correctly, you two don't get along."

Hitomi shook her head. "We get along well. Dilandau showed me and my friends around yesterday."

"Then Hiko's telling the truth about you two not hating each other?" Mr. Kanzaki asked.

"Yeah, dad. Dilandau's just irritating at times but he's nice. He had hung out with my friends and me before yesterday. You know, when Chesta was here."

Mr. Albatou and Mr. Kanzaki both exchanged a puzzled look before Donkirk let his curiosity go, not really knowing that he was making a mistake.

"Then why were you two looking like you hated each other when we broke up the engagement?"

The table became quiet suddenly and everyone was looking at Hitomi and Dilandau alternately as if waiting for an explanation. Finally, Hitomi met Allen's eyes that contained so much hurt.

The parents noticed the sudden tension. Hitomi looked at her father before asking to be excused. The rest of her friends soon followed.

"They didn't know," Hiko said after Hitomi and her friends had left. "Like how Celena and I didn't know at first." Ryu looked at his son but before he could ask a question, Hiko answered. "Celena and I have our ways but the engagement was already over by then."

"I'm going," Dilandau interrupted and left before anyone could say anything.

Celena sighed and continued eating. Now she knew what Dilandau was saying about more chances of messing things up by being around.

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **I didn't really proofread this or something so there's bound to be plenty of erroneous stuff here and all. It's not just the lack in time. I also have some serious predicaments I really need to worry about. But I just had to update so here it is. Thank you for leaving me reviews. I may have said this so plenty of times by now, but reviewers keep me going. Every update is because of them. Thank you once again.

      To **the original esca chick, Hiko's sixteen, a year younger than Tomi and two years younger than Dilandau and most of the characters.**

      To **one_mean_rabbit**, the profession thing is a bit too much, not that I'm complaining that you're saying that. ^^, The one shot? Well, that's probably the last one. There's much more reviews here. Lol. But I am very grateful to those who reviewed the one shots.

      To **My Silver Flame, the others are probably in the chapters beyond chapter 10 because as it is, everything's complicated. But they'll all be in the picture eventually.**

      To **Colerachel**, yeah, Hiko is pro Dilandau. Sorry I couldn't update sooner so you can read. *major dilemma present* And I should be worrying about it right now.

      To **windsoffortune**, at least you noticed it now ^^,

      To **Izzy**, thanks for the luck.

      To **Smokegirl**, side romance would be after chapter 10. So wait up.

      To **AFCAMistress**, welcome back. Sorry if I wasn't able to send the last chap to you. I was really hurrying and it was a couple of days after I remembered. I decided to just send it to you when I update this but well, you're back with me. ^^,

      To **CrAyOnS**** tAstE LIkE pUrple, glad you decided to leave me a review now. By the way, the name is cute, almost like what a child would say.**


	7. Love sacrifices… it understands and comf...

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **the original esca chick, Princess Neptune, MysticalDreamer32, Magicman/Smokegirl, honeypot, Colerachel, fallen-dark-angel, Dillychic16, Catelina, Kat-Tastrophe, mel_88, SabrinaYutsuki, One_Mean_Rabbit, dreamingofflyingaway, Izzy, Fuzzie, CrAyOnS tAstE LIkE pUrple, monkeybaby7, Night of the Raven, Wendera Jade, Blue Demon, dilly-sammas luver, who cares4, Kendra, Yukishin, amy, Vishase2, AryetQuing, Smiles-Anonymous, duh-hikki-zealot, Gothickchick45, Planeswalker, naria4, Faerex and to LazyCat9@aol.com and Cole Adams

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 7: Love sacrifices… it understands and comforts** ****

Allen followed Hitomi as she went out the back garden. The rest of her friends stayed out of their confrontation and merely waited inside the house.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you? What? I just go to you and say, hey Allen I got myself engaged while you were not around?!" She whirled around and faced her boyfriend. "For crying out loud! It was just some big misunderstanding!"

He frowned and suppressed his anger. "What do you mean it's just some big misunderstanding? You got yourself engaged!"

"It wasn't my choice! Besides, it's already over," she mumbled quietly, wondering why she was feeling a slight twinge of hurt at the fact that it was really over.

Allen stared at her. "Why do I feel like you regret it being over?"

"I don't," she quickly said. "We're just friends."

"That's not what everyone can see, Tomi. And then this engagement thing comes up… what do you think would come to my mind?"

"I didn't betray you," she said firmly, despairingly. "I love you and---"

"So why the engagement?"

"It wasn't my choice nor was it Dilandau's."

"Yeah right."

"Listen to me!" She exclaimed. "We used to hate each other. And that was when this engagement thing came up. But it's already over so what's there to worry about? Nothing!"

"You like him."

"What are you talking about?!"

"You're defensive. And the way you act around him…" Allen trailed off as he realized further that she did like Dilandau. "Where do we stand now?"

"What does that question mean? Are you trying to ask me if we're breaking up?" She asked, tears already falling from her stunning emeralds. "Allen… please don't do this… everything is just a misunderstanding. I love you… but do you love me?"

"Yes," he said honestly.

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because I need to know the truth even when it hurts." For the first time, Allen Schezar, the renowned playboy, had tears in his eyes for a girl. "You know what I've noticed? When you're with me and the others… you think of someone… and when you introduced Dilandau…"

"Allen, please…"

"You're thinking of him most of the time, weren't you?"

"Allen---"

"Just answer me."

She couldn't answer, and she clenched her jaw as if suppressing a headache as tears raced down her cheeks.

More tears fell from the depressed blue eyes of Allen. "See?"

"So you'll leave me because of that?" She shot, her voice thick with tears and hurt feelings.

"It will only hurt us even more if we try to stay together. You don't just like Dilandau. You've fallen for him…" He said bitterly. "More than you've fallen for me."

"Allen… you know that's not possible."

"Tell me straight. Do you love him or not?"

"I don't."

He closed his eyes tightly for a moment before meeting her teary emeralds with his own teary sapphires. "Don't say you don't love him when it kills you inside… because it hurts me when you're hurt."

"Then why are you doing this?!" She yelled both from anger and from pain. 

"Because it kills me that when I'm with you, you're thinking of another guy! Because it kills me to know that you'd rather hold his hands than mine, that you'd rather look into his eyes than mine… it kills me to keep you when you'd rather be with someone! It kills me to keep hurting you by keeping you when you need another person…"

She stared at him defiantly. "You're only looking for a reason to dump me! Why? Have you found someone else?!"

"No. But you have…"

For the first time, she saw Allen's face contained so much hurt. It made her feel guilty and she realized how much it was for him. And to think she was wondering if he was two-timing her while she was away and it ended up that she was the one doing it even if it was only in appearance.

"Allen…"

He held up a hand and reached out for her cheek, his own tears falling more. "Does he make you cry?"

"Allen, please…"

"I love you, Hitomi. But if you love him… what can I do?"

"Don't do this. Please don't leave me," she pleaded as more tears fell from her eyes.

"How can I fight for you when it would hurt you more?" He asked so quietly and with so much pain that it hurt Hitomi to listen to his voice. "You may not realize it yet… but I know… if you'd stay with me you'll realize in the end that you're not happy… that you gave up your chance to be with someone you love more than any other guy…"

"I don't understand you, Allen. You keep pressing that I love Dilandau but I love you."

"Yes, you do. But not as much as how you feel for Dilandau."

"I don't---"

"You don't understand it yet… but I see it… everyone does. What's the use of fighting for you when deep inside you… you don't want me to?"

"We've been through so many things… so much harder things than this. Why are you giving me up so quickly?"

"Because for the first time, I see that fighting for you will only hurt the two of us. If I keep you and you love someone else, it wouldn't make me happy. Because I know that you're hurting… and I can't be happy when the one I love is not happy at all."

"Allen, please don't do this."

"I'll smile for you, Hitomi… even when it kills me… I'll let you go," he whispered as he bent down and kissed her lips softly in a chaste kiss. "Goodbye, Hitomi… I will always love you…"

With that, he turned around and left, ignoring his friends when they approached him. They knew then. Allen and Hitomi had broken up.

Mr. Albatou had apologized profusely at Mr. Kanzaki at what had happened. The latter just shook his head and said that there was nothing they could do. After lunch, they had left followed thereafter by Hitomi's friends who were at first reluctant to leave. It took some convincing before they finally left their post at the living room where they waited for Hitomi to talk to them.

Celena and Hiko had tried to talk to Hitomi unlike her friends who had waited patiently for her to be ready to talk until Mrs. Kanzaki had convinced them to go home. Hitomi on the other hand had locked herself in her room to cry.

Dinner came and Celena was still there in the Kanzaki residence. It was decided that she would stay over and since then, she and Hiko had decided to just follow Hitomi's friends' lead by just waiting for her to be ready to talk. But the honey-brown haired girl didn't come down for dinner.

By midnight, Hitomi was still crying. She had no idea that her brother and Celena were awake on their own beds, thinking about what had happened. For Hiko's part, he never knew that breaking up with Allen would hurt his sister so much and a part of him regretted the fact that he never strove so hard to get along with Allen and the rest of his sister's friend.

Dilandau was wide awake that night. After arriving from the Kanzaki residence, he just rested on his bed and wondered about everything.

When his parents had arrived without Celena, they had promptly told him about what had happened. Hitomi had locked herself in her room and had seemed to be crying non-stop. And that was the part that kept bothering him.

Maybe if he really had insisted that he didn't want to come, maybe everything would still be alright, maybe Hitomi and Allen wouldn't have fought and maybe Hitomi wouldn't have cried. It was all his fault and he hated himself for it.

He looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table and sighed. It was almost midnight and still he couldn't stop thinking about Hitomi.

'So much for softening up,' he thought. 'I just made her cry. Some softening up I can do… pretty pathetic---'

His silent thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He wondered who would call at such a late time but as the phone kept ringing, he finally reached for the phone on the bedside table. He was about to open his mouth to ask who was on the other line when the voice of his object of thought hit him with a wave of intense hurt and sadness.

"Dilandau," she said softly.

He sat up immediately. "Hitomi."

She sniffed. "I'm sorry for calling so late… I just needed someone… and you came to my mind."

"Wait for me outside your house."

"Huh?"

"Just do it."

She sighed. "No, I'm alright. I just---"

"Just do it, Hitomi."

After a long time of silence, she consented. "Alright."

Immediately, he hung up and scrambled out of bed. Without any second thoughts, he grabbed a jacket and his car keys.

His car raced through the empty road of the subdivision where the Kanzaki residence was located. He didn't care if it was in the middle of the night. He just acted on impulse. When he had needed comfort, Hitomi was there and he'd be damned if he wasn't there to give her comfort in return.

He stopped near the massive gate and saw her standing there, looking at her feet forlornly. He stepped out of his car and came to her immediately.

"Hitomi," he said softly.

She looked up and smiled despite the tears in her eyes. "You came," she said.

Without thinking, he hugged her and whispered. "Of course I came. I was the one who told you to wait."

"Yes. But it's already in the middle of the night. I thought you changed your mind."

He laughed slightly. "Not when you're the one waiting. You'd make me pay big time."

She nodded against his shoulder and fell silent then. He just held her like she did that night of the dance. She was still crying quietly and he never wanted to let her go. Her hand just clutched tightly at the fabric of his jacket.

"He broke up with me," she said finally. "And it hurts… because… because I love him so much."

He tightened his hold on her, trying to offer her the comfort she needed, trying to reassure her that he'd never leave her.

She didn't say anything after that. She just cried and cried until she had fallen asleep in his embrace, tired from all the crying she had done. He couldn't really understand why her pain hurt him so much, why he'd do anything to make her pain his own, why he felt like she was everything to him even when she was not.

But one thing he understood at the moment. He and Allen would have some talk about this.

Celena and Hiko met at the hallway that morning, both knowing that neither got much sleep. It was but eight in the morning.

"Do you think we should check on Hitomi?" Celena asked Hiko worriedly.

"She may still have her door locked but let's give it a shot."

They both proceeded towards Hitomi's room. Silently, Hiko turned the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked. Without another thought, he pushed the door open as silently as he could. Both were surprised to find that on the bed, Hitomi lay cocooned in the protective embrace of a certain silver-haired Adonis.

In surprise, both stood there watching until Dilandau slowly untangled his arms around Hitomi. He quietly moved out of the bed and pulled the covers closer to Hitomi's figure. Turning to the door, he walked silently as if he did not notice that there were two teenagers standing there with a shocked and questioning expression.

The two noticed that Dilandau looked as if he didn't sleep at all. And when he passed by them, he pulled them away, closing the door gently.

"She called me up," he said quietly. "Watch her for me."

Before any of the two could ask a question, Dilandau had left, leaving the two looking at each other with a puzzled expression.

Yukari was surprised to open the gate to Dilandau who had a very determined look on his face.

"Allen," he stated flatly.

"I'm sorry but he wouldn't talk to anyone. When we arrived, he had himself locked in one of the guestrooms," she explained as she let him in and they entered the house. "They fought… because of you, I'm sure."

He didn't say anything but for a moment he wondered why Yukari was still letting him in. "We need to talk."

"You can wait, but I doubt he'd talk to you."

"I'm not giving him a choice."

Yukari's eyes widened. "No Dilandau. You're treading on dangerous grounds! Gades and Amano---"

"What's going on?" Amano's voice interrupted as he stood there in the hallway.

"Where's Allen?"

"Hey, man, I have half the mind to just punch you. But Hitomi would be mad at me."

"I'm just here to clear things up."

"Then do so," Yukari interrupted. "Are you and Tomi…"

"No."

Amano nodded. "But you like her." Before Dilandau could say anything, he raised a hand. "You know, things happen. I would punch you but I know it's not really your fault. You don't even realize that you have a thing for Tomi."

"I don't."

The laughing voice of Gades interrupted any further words. "See? You really don't realize. Well go ahead, prince charming… Have a confrontation with the knight-in-shinning-armor."

Dilandau's brows met. Why were Hitomi's friends being so accepting about everything?

"Millerna told us what she saw around you two when you three ate out and when she spent time with you two," Sarah said as she walked from behind Gades. "We can see it, too. And I suppose Allen did the right thing."

"Hurting Hitomi?!" Dilandau snapped.

Sarah shook her head. "Talk to Allen. Anything we say could end up looking unfair to you."

It didn't take any more words for Dilandau to go storming towards the room Sarah had pointed to.

The door was unlocked and Dilandau burst into the room. His red eyes scanned the area and he found Allen standing in front of the desk, his back to the door.

"Allen," Dilandau hissed.

The blonde didn't even need to turn around to know who was with him in the room. In an agonizing voice, he acknowledged. "Dilandau."

"Why?"

"You should know."

Dilandau's patience snapped and without thinking, he stalked up to Allen and grabbed the blonde's shoulders to spin him around. Before another second could pass, Dilandau crashed his fist on Allen's jaw.

"You bastard! How could you hurt Hitomi like that?!"

Allen didn't attempt to defend himself as Dilandau punched him a couple of times before slamming him to the nearest wall. He just had the same miserable expression that he had when he broke up with Hitomi.

"Damn it, Allen! She loves you and you broke her heart! Hiko was right! You'd only hurt her!"

The punches continued and still the blonde did not even attempt to protect himself or to stop the silver-haired one from hurting him physically. He was just too tired of everything and especially too tired of hearing Hitomi's tearful pleas inside his head.

"Say something, damn it!" Dilandau yelled as he clutched at Allen's shirt.

"I needed to let her go," he finally said in a quiet, tortured voice.

"What do you mean you needed to?! You hurt her!"

"I know."

"Then why did you do it?! And why are you still here?! Why don't you go apologize?!"

"I can't."

Dilandau's red eyes burned with anger for the blonde. Hitomi loved Allen and yet the blonde had broken her heart. With a final punch, he slammed Allen on the desk.

"She loves you," Dilandau said harshly. "And you broke her heart. You're more than a thousand types of a fu***** a******!"

Not waiting for Allen to say anything, Dilandau went out of the room and walked past Hitomi's friends without sparing them a glance. He was so mad that he'd kill Allen if it wasn't for the fact that Hitomi would hurt more than she already did.

"Yes," Allen whispered as he struggled to stand and reach for his wallet on the desk. "She loves me…" 

He opened the wallet and stared at the picture of him and Hitomi, standing in the middle of the track field while holding hands and smiling happily at each other. It had been a stolen shot made by their Millerna.

"Then why Allen?" Millerna asked from the door.

He didn't need to look back to know that his other friends were there as well, waiting for his explanation and ready to support him especially if it would be for his and Hitomi's best.

"But she loves Dilandau more… even when she doesn't realize it yet… I just don't want to hurt her deeper when she realizes that I kept her from the person who she loves more… I don't want her to let go of her chance to be with the one who owns her heart… I don't want her to regret when she realizes that she chose the wrong person…"

"Do you still love her?" Amano asked quietly.

Allen's tears fell for the same girl he broke up with. "With all that I am… that's why I'd rather things be like this if would mean she'd end up with the person she loves more."

Yukari smiled through her tears and went to hug Allen from the back as he stared at the picture of him and Hitomi through tear-spilling sapphires. Millerna and Sarah soon joined the hug. And in the end, Gades and Amano joined in the group hug. They were still like before. They wouldn't care if they looked weird hugging each other in a big group hug – both girls and boys joined together. Because they were friends… they always would be.

"Why are you all here?" Hiko asked with contempt as he intercepted the popular kids on his way to the pool.

"We're here to talk to Hitomi," Sarah stated diplomatically.

"Well she doesn't need any of you," he spat. "Who let you in anyway?"

"Your mom did," Amano answered. "Hiko, we're not here to hurt Hitomi. We're her friends."

"Why weren't you here yesterday then?"

"Allen needed support," Millerna explained, trying hard to be patient.

"And I suppose Hitomi doesn't need support? Allen broke her heart."

"It's not what you think," Gades argued. "Besides, she has you and Dilandau. Allen has no one."

"Suits him right."

"Don't talk like that!" Yukari exclaimed. "You don't know anything so don't go thinking that Allen enjoyed what he did and that we also took pleasure in Tomi's pain."

Hiko was about to say something but a hand on his shoulder made him turn back to Celena's face.

"Hiko, give them a chance just like how Hitomi gave Dilandau a chance again."

Hitomi's brother clenched his fists and then turned to the popular kids. "Make good use of your chance. She's by the pool."

With that, Hiko whirled around and pulled Celena with him. She had been there just in case Hitomi needed to talk to someone. But then, the person Hitomi had felt comfortable to talk to was only Dilandau.

"I'm sorry you had to put up with me," Hitomi said with a faint smile as she moved her lower legs in the water.

She was sitting by the pool side, her lower legs submerged in the water while Dilandau was just beside her in an Indian sitting position.

"I guess you never thought you'd be spending your vacation watching over some depressed ogre---"

"Hitomi," he interrupted. "It's my choice."

She looked up from the water and smiled at him, her eyes still reddish from her crying spree. "You know what? When I first met you, I thought you're the most evil person there could be. But now, I know you're not. Because if you are, you wouldn't choose to spend your time with me."

"Hey, I'm the prince, remember?"

She nodded and thought for a moment. "What do you think?"

"Of what?"

"Of me."

He stared at her for a while, not quite sure what she was expecting as an answer.

"Just the truth, Dilandau. That's all," she said softly, as she looked back at the water flowing between her lower legs.

Still looking at her, he cocked his head slightly. "I think I found someone I am willing to trust with all that I am."

Her gaze flew to his face in an instant. And with a puzzled and surprised expression, she asked, "Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? I should be the one saying that."

"Not really. You're around when I need… someone. You may have not noticed it but you are. They're not exactly tear-evoking events so you don't notice just like after the dance."

She smiled again. "Of course they're not. I can't seem to imagine you crying… well even when you said you did back at the time Celena caught you…"

He gave her a pointed look. "That never happened."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm not going to spill to anyone nor am I going to use it as blackmail. I'm just pointing things out."

"It doesn't hurt to be careful. We'll never know whose ears are perking somewhere around us."

She giggled slightly and nodded. "You know… staying here is not so bad."

"How about America?"

"Well, I still have my dear friends staying over there…"

He nodded and looked at the water.

"But I have my family here and some equally dear friends just like you…"

He looked up at her smiling face.

"Even when I'm not miss popularity anymore, I realized that life isn't just about being in the circle. It's about finding real people who'd stay with you even at your worst stumble. It's about looking beyond what you see. Just look at you and even Mei. I haven't talked to her yet but the fact that she admitted that she was to blame means something. Before, I'd no doubt do all I can to get back at her."

"So you mean…"

She nodded. "I like staying here even when life's not as easy as it was when I was in America. Besides, now that you told me that you found someone to trust, do you think I could just pack up and leave?" She reached for his hand. "I can tell you're not the type who easily trusts other people. And I'm… well… flattered that you trust me. And I'm going to promise you that I will never leave you and your trust."

He smiled back. "Do you know that we might look like some sappy people right now?"

"Yeah. But I couldn't care less because I found out that the demonic old man is really this endearingly cute---"

"Cute? Are you kidding? Do I look like some puppy?" He scowled when she giggled. "Hey! Bad boy here."

"Yeah. The ogre's bad boy."

He didn't even object. Not that he had the time to because it was at that precise moment that Hitomi's friends arrived.

"Hitomi," they had greeted without knowing that they were interrupting something.

"Uh, I think we've a wrong timing," Sarah whispered as she took notice of Hitomi's hand holding on to Dilandau's.

The rest followed her gaze and it was only then that both Hitomi and Dilandau noticed that they had their hands linked. Hitomi withdrew her hand and quite much to her astonishment, she felt herself flush.

"Er, hello guys," she mumbled, not able to meet their eyes.

"Perhaps we'd just---" Millerna started to say.

"I'll be with Hiko and Celena," Dilandau cut in as he looked at Hitomi before leaving.

After Dilandau had left, her friends still stood near her until she motioned for them to sit down. Removing their shoes and folding their pants up to their knees, they sat much like she did. They were quiet for some time, just waiting for Hitomi to be ready.

"How's Allen?" Hitomi mumbled uncertainly.

"Messed up," Millerna said flatly.

Hitomi's brows furrowed. "Care to elaborate?"

Her friends looked uncertain until Yukari took the initiative to talk. "Well, he's down emotionally speaking. Hitomi, he didn't want this and you know that we're not saying this because we're covering him up or we're on his side."

"I know… is there something I should know about Allen?"

Amano shook his head. "He has no other girl."

"That's not what I mean," she said as her eyes looked at Amano closely. "Did Dilandau… have a talk with him?"

Gades laughed. "You can be a psychic you know that?"

"Well, just some boy talk," Sarah explained vaguely.

"It doesn't by chance involve some fists flying, does it?"

They laughed nervously and Hitomi just nodded.

"So…" Millerna began awkwardly. "Aside from swollen eyes and all, how are you?"

"Just… coping up. Dilandau's been keeping me company and I feel bad because he's spending his vacation with some miserable girl instead of enjoying it in some party or something."

Amano smiled. "He's just the person you need, isn't he?"

Hitomi laughed slightly. "You make it sound like he's the person I need to get over your brother."

Gades just shook his head. "Well, you and Allen could still be friends."

She nodded. "Yes, I hope so. I still love him you know."

"And he loves you back," Yukari assured. "But things just get messy at times and when we start cleaning up, we realize that we have to part with some things because they don't fit anymore… because it's time to simply let go."

"One day, we could all look at this and say that we're strong," Sarah said with a smile. "Life will always go on and there are plenty of people out there for you and Allen. You might never know that the one you're looking for is just under your nose."

The smile on Hitomi was genuine. She was glad she had friends like them as they talked on and on about Allen and everything else not related.

~tbc~

**Author's Note:** I'm really sorry for the long delay. It's been almost three months. We just borrowed the monitor I'm using now and it would be returned tomorrow so I'd have to figure out how to update soon after this one. Anyway, **thanks for the reviews **and **I hope that this story hasn't been abandoned because of the span of time I left it not updated. **I'm not going to put some replies here since you all have probably forgotten what you said. It's been some time. Before I go, **I just like to give acknowledgement to those who reviewed Heart of Sword – Before Dawn but have not yet been thanked. Thanks to moi, CrAyOnS tAstE LIkE pUrple, cheetahchow, and kitsuni-1500.**


	8. There are many things unknown

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **Blue Demon, Yukishin, one_mean_rabbit, Diesty-chan, Magicman/Smokegirl, Always Dreaming, megami04, Fuzzie, Faraday, Kat-Tastrophe, MysticalDreamer32, Catelina, blue ice2, naria4, DillyChic16, SabrinaYutsuki, dreamingofflyingaway, Fluer21, mel_88, windsoffortune, princess neptune, Cole Adams, My Silver Flame, Feathers of snow (Honeypot), the original esca chick, dilly-sammas luver, Kendra, yakiem, bebopin'-dreamer, Lady-of-the-Lord and to LazyCat9@aol.com

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 8: There are many things unknown**

Lunch time was alright. Mrs. Kanzaki had already left for somewhere she needed to go to and that left the teenagers to themselves.

Hiko was eating silently beside Celena who was wondering why Hitomi's friends weren't treating her with hostility. Dilandau was beside her, eating silently and never looking up from his food.

"I just remembered!" Yukari exclaimed. "Do you still remember that guy who bumped into you the first day of classes at the time before you left America?"

Hitomi nodded, brows drawn in a question. "What of him?"

Sarah giggled and Millerna just rolled her eyes before glaring at Amano who was about to laugh. Gades grinned and proceeded to enlighten Hitomi. "Well, when you left, let's just say that he got into a fight with Millerna's crush of the month. You know that football star? He played with the friend of the nerdy guy."

"As far as I can remember," Hitomi said, looking contemplative. "That guy was just… let's see… five feet nine or something and that football star was… um… six feet four?"

"Yup. Good memory," Millerna praised. "Didn't he court you before?"

Hitomi grinned along with the others. "Trying to sway the topic, Millerna? Well, yes he did court me and he decided he could take Allen on which got both of them a week suspension. Anyway, Gades… proceed."

The grin on Gades' face widened. "Well, let's just say don't judge a book by its cover… nerdy guy wasn't actually nerdy all along. Just like Hiko… he's some secret karate champ or something and he literally kicked airhead's ass and dumped him in the nearest trash bin looking like some mashed potato."

"And Millerna had to go to the disco with a mashed potato…" Amano continued, already laughing.

The popular kids burst out laughing while Millerna scowled for all she was worth. "Not funny! I was so downright humiliated!"

"Suits you right for choosing the airhead," Yukari said with a smile.

"As I said, maybe we should call him football head or something. I mean he is a football star," Gades suggested.

Sarah nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. Hey! Millerna dated a football head."

They burst out laughing again.

"Well at least he's a star…"

"A washed up one," Amano corrected. "He pretty much lost most of the respect or rather fear that the others had on him after he got mashed."

"So what does that make the champ?" Hitomi asked.

"One of the crowd," Millerna said sullenly.

Hitomi raised a brow. "What does he think of me? Some humiliating bi*** who's head is in the clouds?"

"Not really. He pretty much understood how things are from the inside of everything," Yukari said as she shrugged. "He even admitted that he had a crush on you the first time he saw you---"

"Which was precisely the time I had him humiliated in the middle of the school hallway," Hitomi interrupted. "It's amazing how forgiving he can be."

"Tell me about it," Millerna mumbled. "And Allen was just laughing saying you really are cute."

Hitomi scowled. "Do I look like some puppy?"

Yukari looked at her closely. "Now that you mentioned it…"

They all laughed. Hitomi shook her head, a big smile plastered on her face. "Maybe he can visit sometime, huh? And maybe I could apologize to him."

"What for? That's how things go," Amano said with surprise.

"I know it hurts. Trust me…"

They nodded.

"Maybe we could get back at those people who hurt you," Millerna said after a long time.

"And things would just pile up," Sarah interrupted. "I mean honestly, that's the part I can't get about popularity bu******. Popular people have to be right and they should get back when they get hurt. What about those who got hurt? Isn't this enough that Hitomi's paying for all the stuck-up business?"

Hitomi looked amused. "Sarah, you're definitely their conscience! Maybe you and Hiko could get together some time."

Hiko looked up from his food. "Leave me out of everything, will you?"

He, Celena and Dilandau had been pretty much staying out of the talks and the laughs since the meal started.

"Hey, it's a nice idea," Hitomi said as if she was not bothered at all. "Besides, Sarah's pretty."

"And she's older than me."

"But that's not the point. Age doesn't matter at all and---"

"I'm leaving," Hiko mumbled as he stood up.

"Hold it," Hitomi said immediately. "If you're leaving, you might never know what I'm planning out on you. And who knows what I'd be blabbing about regarding you."

Hiko just scowled and sat down. "Sisters can be a pain."

Celena's brows met. "What?"

Dilandau immediately looked away, trying to hide the grin that was starting to build up on his lips.

"Uh, I said," Hiko thought quickly. "I said sisters are beautiful."

"That's not what you said."

"It wasn't? Ask them," Hiko motioned for the others.

Amano and Gades looked away, grinning their hearts out. Millerna and Sarah both looked at their food, trying to hide their amusement. Hitomi and Yukari meanwhile were trying to look like they didn't hear anything.

"Hiko!" Celena exclaimed. "They're on your side! You said sisters can be a pain! Do you want a proof?!"

Hiko coughed and stood up, mumbling something about forgetting to clean his room. He left followed by an angry Celena.

"Funny, Hiko always have a spotless room," Hitomi said with a grin. "What's with Celena, Dilandau?"

Dilandau looked at her with a wide smile. "Red sea."

Hitomi laughed. "First day?"

The red-eyed one shrugged. "All I know is that she's quite touchy when she has that girl thing going on. And she can be dangerous when she's angry."

"Kind of like you?" Amano asked with a wide, amused smile.

"It's alright, Dilandau," Hitomi immediately said. "I think I can guess what happened between you and Allen. And I'm staying out of it. Hey, you've been quiet all along… want to join us for a swim? Just to forget some things… maybe you could wear a bikini and I could wear one…"

Dilandau looked uncertain. "Well, I just remembered that I need to help Hiko escape Celena."

Before anyone could argue, Dilandau was out in a flash.

"They weren't exactly bad," Celena muttered as she and Hiko entered the back garden.

The two had just pretended to have a tiff to get away from Hitomi and her friends. They pretty much felt that Hitomi would be better off left to her friends for a while.

Hiko shrugged. "They aren't bad when they're around Hitomi. But they are stuck-up junks when it comes to other people."

"They weren't to us."

"Because Hitomi deems us part of her life. But see them back at school, they're downright mean. If you weren't able to block of their talks, they mentioned about this guy Hitomi had managed to humiliate. It was that guy's first day at school and he bumped into Hitomi. The rest of the school thought he was a jerk after that and they made fun of him."

"I don't think Hitomi's capable of that."

"She is. Believe me. That's why I hate her friends. They are all like that and I suppose they make each other become even more stuck-up jerky junks." Hiko looked beyond Celena and saw just as Dilandau entered. "You couldn't take them."

"I couldn't take your sister."

Both Celena and Hiko raised a brow.

"She was making me wear bikinis." He then shot the two a glare before they could even think of laughing.

"You like her," Hiko stated, smiling for all he was worth.

Dilandau glared. "I like Hitomi? She's crazy."

"But you like her anyway," Celena reasoned.

"I do not."

"Want to bet?" Hiko challenged. "Did she ever make you a promise or something?"

Silver brows met. "I'm not obliged to answer that."

"It doesn't matter. I'm sure she did. But anyway, if she breaks it and you get hurt for that…"

"I don't have to listen to you and your bet. I'm going to bed." He left without a backward glance.

"He'll be in Hitomi's room, that's for sure," Hiko told Celena with a shrug. "Honestly, your brother is blind. Not that Hitomi isn't but hey, can't blame her. Allen had always been her center of affection so she doesn't realize what's what. But Dilandau?"

Celena smiled. "Hiko… Hitomi's the only girl Dilandau took seriously… the only one he allows to boss him around and all that. He's new to the love stuff but as they say, the higher you are… the harder you'll fall."

"True. Because even if I hate to admit it, I think Allen had been serious about my sister. And if I'm right, he saw right through Dilandau and Hitomi and you know how some people say that love gives… If you love someone set him free and all that stuff…"

"So you think you'd be civil to Allen?"

"If he can trample his own ego and break his own heart for my sister… I think that's more than enough to convince me he deserves some reconsideration. And with her friends cheering my sister up… well… I suppose I could also give them some reconsideration."

"Hitomi would be glad. I'm sure. But about your bet…"

"It won't be long. When dad splashes the cold water… well…"

Uncertainty crossed Celena's face. "Hiko… how can you be so calm? Don't you think this will be disastrous? What if you're right about Dilandau getting hurt? He's got this tendency of retreating away from people and when he comes back, he'd be fiercer than before…"

"Celena, this is bound to happen. Bad things happen, that's the truth. If it doesn't happen now, it'll happen in the future with a different event. So there's nothing we can do but just hope they're all mature enough for everything. Because if they aren't… well, it looks like tears would fall."

Celena cocked her head slightly. "Have you been in a relationship? You're… mature."

Hiko shrugged. "How about learning from three supposedly serious relationships?"

"WHAT?!"

"They're older than me by at least a year. Hey, hanging with mature people can be good. They teach you well enough to know that sometimes, you're too young for some things."

"And?"

"And all those relationships ended well. No hard feelings, and even stronger friendship," Hiko finished, grinning. "Shocked?"

Celena nodded. "Goodness! Another playboy!"

"I'm not! They were all serious relationships though we pretty much kept it a secret from our families and all. But I suppose, they're not meant to be. One of them had to move away, one I had to let go coz she found out her parents had her engaged, the other one was simply pressure. She was trying so hard to prove to the world that she's not taking advantage of my being the younger one and she all ended up destroying herself. And you know how it's better to let go than watch the people you love slowly die because of you. Pretty much like what Allen did to Hitomi…"

"Hey, I think you owe me the long story since you just indirectly said that I'm a pain…"

Before dinner, Mr. Kanzaki had finally had the papers necessary for Hitomi's travel back to America. And from all the heartaches that he saw Hitomi's friends could mend, he finally decided that she was better off in America even when she wasn't with Allen anymore. At least there she was popular and it would be easy for her to date other guys.

Hitomi had gone to her room for a moment to find a sleeping Dilandau on her bed. When she sat on the bed while talking over the phone to another friend in America, he was woken up by her constant giggling. By the time she had ended the call, Dilandau couldn't get himself to sleep again even when he was still sleepy.

"Could you get any louder?" He asked sarcastically.

She smiled and whacked his face with a pillow. For a few minutes, they had engaged into their usual pillow fight. She was winning probably because Dilandau was still sleepy or because he was letting her win. Sitting on his stomach as she whacked him for the last time, she giggled.

He watched her with a faint smile and then finally commented when she was staring at him. "You've finally decided to keep your eyes."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know… the drama of all the silent bawling of your eyes out."

She smirked. "Getting tired of comforting me?"

"Not really," he said softly. "I'm just getting tired of seeing you cry and hurting so much."

"Then don't watch," she said plainly, not offended because of the way he said things.

"But it still hurts."

She frowned in question. "What still hurts?"

"You crying."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

She whacked him with a pillow. "Stop trying to be mysterious and just tell me. It's not like I'd go around shouting whatever you'll tell me."

"I'm crazy…" He mumbled. "But I suppose when an ogre has driven you crazy, you'd also get hurt if they get hurt."

She stared at him. "You mean… you mean you feel hurt whenever I'm crying my eyes out and hurting like some miserable puppy kicked by its owner?"

He sighed in frustration. "Yes and I wonder why!"

She just smiled and from her position atop his stomach, she leaned down and hugged him. "Thanks. I know that I'll never be alone even if my friends aren't around anymore because I have you. And you'll always have me. I promise you that combined with the one at the poolside. I wouldn't leave you."

He smiled. "That's… great… It's hard to be alone but since I have an ogre to keep me company… I'll never feel alone again. Why do we even understand each other at all?"

"I don't know but maybe because we've been through a lot together as enemies and as friends."

He laughed. "Yeah, maybe. Now what do you think would other people think if they find you on top of me with your arms around my neck and your forehead resting against mine?"

For some reasons, she blushed and she quickly scrambled off of him. She coughed uncomfortably, almost fidgeting under his amused gaze. "Well, everything I said is true so you better have not been fooling around, old man."

She fled then, leaving him unconsciously smiling.

"I wasn't kidding either," he mumbled faintly.

Hitomi and her friends were in the living room by the time Mr. Kanzaki had arrived. Hiko and Celena were dragging a still sleepy Dilandau by the living room then and Mr. Kanzaki had called them in because of Hiko and immediately both he and Celena was sure that it was time for the cold water to be splashed.

"Well, I haven't really expected to make the announcement if front of most of you but perhaps it's for the best," Mr. Kanzaki began.

"What's the announcement all about, dad?" Hitomi asked, feeling nervous for some unknown reason.

"Well, after your very bad experience in school, I have had some papers arranged. And now that they are ready, it's time to tell you what you long so much to hear."

Hitomi stood up and glanced at Dilandau, who was with Hiko and Celena by the living room entrance. 

"You'll go back to America and stay there for good," Mr. Kanzaki finished with a big smile.

The room was silent for a while before her friends started to celebrate that Hitomi was going to be with them again. Celena and Hiko waited for Dilandau's reaction but the latter just stared at Hitomi as if he was waiting for her to say something. But she didn't and she just looked back at her father and forced a smile.

Mr. Kanzaki hugged his daughter. "I'm so glad you're happy. Come, let's all celebrate."

Dilandau didn't say anything and he just walked away, Celena following him while looking at Hiko who was shaking his head.

They were going so fast but it didn't bother Celena in the least bit. She was just silent as Dilandau drove the car towards home. But when she couldn't take the silence, she decided to talk.

"Say something," she said.

"What would I say?"

"Anything. Scream some curses, I don't know. Just say something."

Dilandau's eyes never left the road and his hold on the steering wheel tightened. "Good for Hitomi."

Her heart sank. From the answer of her twin, she knew it. Hiko was right. "Dilandau…"

"Maybe I could talk to Allen and they'd get back together. Then she'd quit crying her eyes out," he said as he laughed.

Celena knew he was faking it even when he was convincing. Because from his hold on the steering wheel, it was clear that he was upset.

"Dilandau, please tell me the truth."

"About?"

"What is she to you?"

He didn't answer because he didn't know the answer when he reflected on the question.

"Do you… do you trust her? Please tell me…"

For a long time he didn't say anything and Celena almost thought that he wouldn't answer. But then he did. "Yes… with all that I am."

She nodded. By nature, it was hard for Dilandau to trust anyone and even as she was his twin, it took almost all her lifetime to make him talk to her about some things. And still he didn't even tell her until she pleaded him or until he was senselessly drunk. But around Hitomi, he was different and it was enough to convey something to her… he was very open for Hitomi to hurt badly.

The rest of the ride was filled with silence. But when they were about to leave the car, Dilandau spoke softly. "She promised me she'd never leave me and my trust… but she will. I don't even understand why I'm so bothered by this. I don't know why Hiko's right. We're just friends… so why does it hurt so much? Why?"

She couldn't answer because he had left abruptly then.

"Where is Dilandau?" Mr. Kanzaki asked as they sat at the table, Mrs. Kanzaki having just arrived.

"He left with Celena," Hiko said casually but secretly giving his sister a quick glance to see her reaction.

Mr. Kanzaki nodded. "I see."

"So, where's Hitomi staying?" Millerna asked excitedly. "She's not quite eighteen yet so she needs a guardian."

"Well, I've talked to Yukari's father and he said Hitomi may stay there."

Yukari nodded. "I didn't tell you all because I wanted it to be a surprise!"

"We'll finally be together again! And maybe you and Allen could make up or something, or if not, well we'll still be together," Gades blabbed as he continued eating.

"Well, even if some of us will be going to college, we could still catch each other on our free time," Amano added.

"When will Hitomi go?" Sarah asked politely.

"A little more than a week… about ten days from now."

"Well, we'll have to wait up for her then… we'll be leaving two days from now." Millerna sighed. "But we'll be there and everything would be so fun."

Hitomi just nodded and forced a smile as she half-listened to the excited conversation that was going on. She had seen it, the words in Dilandau's eyes…

_I don't trust easily…_

_But I trust you with all that I am…_

_Will you break your promise?_

_Will you leave me?_

She couldn't answer then so she looked away from his asking garnet orbs. And when her father hugged her, she had to close her eyes… they hurt for some reason much like her chest and then she realized that she could hardly breath.

Hitomi lay awake, thinking. She couldn't sleep. Dilandau's questioning eyes kept on haunting her thoughts.

_I don't trust easily…_

_But I trust you with all that I am…_

_Will you break your promise?_

_Will you leave me?_

'Will I really leave?' She asked silently. 'Do I really want to leave?'

"Hey, Van's on the phone!" Celena yelled from the other side of the door. "He said he couldn't contact your phone."

There was no answer.

"Dilandau, I know you're awake. The others have been calling. Are you coming to---"

The door abruptly swung open and Dilandau's tired and irritated face stared down at her. "NO!"

Before she could blink, the door shut loudly in front of her. Slightly unsettled by her brother's abruptness, she held the cordless phone and answered. "Van, he's still in a bad mood."

"Sunshine?"

Celena sighed. "Yeah."

"Why don't you talk to Hitomi and ask her to settle things with Dilandau? What did they fight about this time?"

"Van, it's out of our business. We may make it worse."

"Well, then maybe just telling her that Dilandau's practicing being a hermit would help."

She sighed. "Call a week from now or something. Maybe Dilandau will finally see that he's not fit to be a hermit."

"Maybe… okay, bye."

"Bye." She sighed once more. Maybe Van was right.

Three days of a hostile and hermit-like Dilandau wasn't a very welcome experience for her. A long talk with Hitomi would be even better. She wouldn't really convince Hitomi to stay, that's being unfair. But maybe she could get Hitomi to talk Dilandau out of his current state.

She didn't exactly blame Hitomi. The girl was happier back in America. But she wasn't blaming her brother either. Dilandau rarely opened up to someone so it was just logical for him to get hurt when that someone who he had given a chance to would leave him.

'They aren't even together and everything's so complicated! I can't imagine the mess if they ever get through this and decide to get together! I'd probably die young from too much problem,' she thought sullenly, already feeling a headache coming up.

Her friends weren't around anymore to help distract her from her thoughts. When they were around, at least she was half-away from her mind. But now that they were gone, she found it absolutely hard not to think of Dilandau. And thinking about him was giving her the dull ache she couldn't really understand.

She was feeling guilty and hurt for unknown reasons to her.

From the time that her father had announced her return to America up to the current time, she had been thinking hard about her decision. All in all, she was better off going to America. But even as she listed down so many positive points of going than that of staying, she still couldn't understand why she had to leave… she still couldn't drive away the image of red eyes talking to her…

_I don't trust easily…_

_But I trust you with all that I am…_

_Will you break your promise?_

_Will you leave me?_

It was long before she noticed that her phone was ringing. She frowned. It was just a little after lunch and she was already in her room, deep in her thoughts. Weren't she in the living room a few minutes ago?

Sighing, she answered the call, hoping that it would cheer her up somehow. "Hello," she mumbled flatly, her thoughts once more starting to pull her out of reality.

"Hitomi, let's talk."

She was jolted out by the voice. "Celena… what's up?"

"Well… it's Dilandau."

She sat on her bed. "What about Dilandau? Is he sick?"

"No. He's… he's practicing being a hostile hermit."

If it wasn't for the distress and worry in Celena's voice Hitomi would've laughed. "What happened?"

"Uh… it's about… well… I think… I mean… I know…"

"Celena, why are you hesitating? Just go straight to the point."

"He's hurt."

"WHAT?! Did he fall down or something? Did he---"

"Not physically," Celena cut in. "This is about you going to America. He said you promised but you will leave him… is that true?"

Hitomi hesitated. "Well… yeah…"

Celena sighed and she was almost amused by how many times she did that for the past time since the announcement. "I'm not going to convince you to stay. That would be unfair to you. But answer this… Is he important to you?"

"Of course."

"Then make him understand why you have to go. It will help stop the pain."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that it would hurt him," Hitomi said softly, her voice sounding hurt for some reasons.

Another sigh escaped Celena. "Hitomi, you're the only girl that I've seen my brother devote himself to. He can drop someone like a hot potato and he wouldn't even think twice. But with you, everything's different. And you're just his friend. You can just imagine how important a friend you are if he treats you so differently. He doesn't even try to reconcile with anyone like he did with you."

"I know. He tried even when I'm so closed-minded to his efforts."

"See? And do you know that he never has the knack or the patience in comforting anyone? But when it's you… well… it's like that's what he lives for… to comfort… and that's not even the end of it. Listing everything down would take a long time and it all sums up to one… he's open to you and he made himself vulnerable to you simply because you're important to him. He's so changed you know and when I reflect on it, it's like he's a totally different Dilandau from what I can remember."

"I know."

"So then talk to him, Hitomi. Make him understand."

Hitomi was silent then and Celena suddenly panicked. What if Hitomi didn't really want to waste time talking to a teenager who was throwing a temper tantrum?

"Can I come now?"

"What?" Celena asked, afraid that she was just imagining what she had heard.

"I mean… may I come there now?"

"You mean you'll talk to him?"

"Why not?"

"He's throwing a temper tantrum, Hitomi. When he's practicing being a hostile hermit, his mood changes like the winds not that it doesn't normally do even when he's normal. But I mean the likelihood of him blowing up and traumatizing you while throwing things and trying to kill you---"

"I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Hitomi, it's not that easy. Dilandau would---"

"Are you convincing me not to talk to him?" Hitomi's voice had so many uncertainties behind its sad tone.

"Of course not! I'm just telling you the likely events that you'd experience if you come so you wouldn't blame me if you'd need to go see a psychiatrist because of some trauma and---"

"Bye, Celena."

"Hitomi---"

"A few minutes."

Celena was about to continue but the call was already cut. She sighed once more, hoping that Hitomi could fix things. She knew well enough that even when Dilandau was acting hostile, he was in his room hurting and most likely as messed up as he was when she had found him in his room senselessly drunk not so long ago.

Just the thought of her brother being so down was hurting her. And for the first time since the announcement, sadness overtook her completely.

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **I know that this isn't what any of you expected. But that's all I can write for now. Anyway, the next two chapters would be focused on Dilandau and Hitomi Ű By the way, I didn't have a writer's block. I was just preoccupied with my life, fixing it and actually living it coz when I started writing I forgot the joys of life away from a computer. In case you'd be wondering about me or the fic or anything, I'll be updating my bio. Anyway, I'm rushing a bit right now so I'll make it quick. **THANKS TO ALL WHO DIDN'T ABANDON THIS STORY AND EVEN ASSURED ME OF THEIR LOYALTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Ű**


	9. Hush now, be still love, don’t cry

**Title: **Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

**Chapter Dedication: **the original esca chick, Yukishin, Faraday, Fuzzie, Kat-Tastrophe, megami04, Diesty-chan, Feathers of Snow: Honeypot, Night of the Raven, Magicman/Smokegirl, My Silver Flame, MysticalDreamer32, SabrinaYutsuki, angelized, blue ice 2, kiwimix, hehehe, Lady-of-the-Lord,               , mel_88, bebopin'-dreamer, dreamingofflyingaway, Izzy, duh-hikki-zealot, dilly-sammas luver, roselle, ninelives, Dark-Dreams-69, hi, non, koneri, CrAyOnS tAstE LIkE pUrple

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Chapter 9: Hush now, be still love, don't cry**

Hitomi knocked softly before reaching for the door knob. She hesitated and looked at Celena who looked at her with both a sad and hopeful face. With a sigh, Hitomi turned the knob and pushed the door slightly open.

"Dilandau?"

There was no answer and she just stood there by the door, noting that the only light in the room was from the shape-casting lamp she had forced on him before.

"Dilandau?"

Still no answer but she walked towards the bed, stopping near it.

"Dilandau?"

She could see the outline of his body on one side of the bed and from his relaxed form, she knew he was sleeping. Walking near him, she kneeled on the floor and touched his arm.

"Dilandau?"

For minutes, the only movement that came from him was from the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest as he breathed. She kept calling his name softly and at length, she felt the muscles underneath her fingers tense up. He was already awake, completely aware of her presence.

"Dilandau?"

Neither an answer nor a movement came from him.

"May we talk?"

His silence could've meant a yes or a no. But she decided that it was neither and it was up to her to decide for both of them. So she gathered her courage to talk and make everything alright.

"I didn't know," she had begun. "I didn't even expect that my dad would have me sent back to America. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to disappoint him so I didn't say anything. It's not like I really hoped for this."

He wasn't saying anything and he wasn't relaxing even a fraction but she knew he was listening. And it was all that she needed as a motivation to continue.

"If you think that I am betraying my promise and that I'm choosing my friends over you, you're wrong. I'm not choosing anyone. It's just that maybe this is the best way."

"How?"

She was startled when he spoke. She wasn't expecting him to speak to her at all.

"How, Hitomi? Tell me."

She hesitated but he gave her the time she needed. "Maybe we could all go back to how everything was."

Obviously, it wasn't an answer endearing to him for he turned away and moved to the farthest part of the bed, away from her. "You said what you needed to say. Now leave."

"Dilandau---"

"Leave," he repeated in a voice so cold that it was almost like a slap.

She couldn't move. She was hurt to say the least and in the darkest recesses of her mind, she wondered why she was so hurt.

The dimness of the room contributed to the oppressing and agonizing silence that settled. She couldn't even breathe. Her chest was tightening and her eyes started to sting for reasons unknown to her. A long time passed and still it was the same. When she couldn't take it, she forced herself to stand up.

"Hitomi."

She looked back at his form, now towards her but still so out of her reach.

"I'm sorry. I… I just don't understand, Hitomi. I really don't."

She sighed. "Then let's talk about it, so that we'd understand."

"We?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "I don't understand, too."

Silence settled once more. It seemed that so much time had passed but in reality, it was only mere seconds when Dilandau lifted the sheet covering him and waited for Hitomi. She understood the offer. Removing her shoes, she settled beside him on the bed and stared at him.

The dimness of the room did nothing to spoil his strikingly beautiful face. It was amazing how changed he looked though. Gone were the cocky expression and mocking glee he had etched on his charming appearance. Gone was the domineering Dilandau, replaced by this Dilandau who strangely looked like a lost little boy who'd believe anything she'd say.

"Maybe it is better if we just let things happen," she said finally.

"How does it make things better?"

"Don't you notice that there are more pains now that we're around each other? Even as we try to help each other up, we always end up hurting each other. I wanted to thank you and then I made a promise, now I'm breaking it so I'm hurting you. When I get hurt, you feel hurt. When you're hurt, I'm also hurt. We always hurt each other."

"I'm sorry."

"No," she said softly as her eyes began to sting once again. "It's not just you. It's also me. I don't know, but I think I just destroyed you, Dilandau. Just look at you. Celena's right. You're open to me that I can hurt you so much. I don't want you like that… I don't want you to be hurt."

"Why?"

"Because you're my friend."

Everything was quiet after her last word. It was as if everything around them was listening to what each of them would have to say next. The last word seemed to echo in their heads and each time it reverberated, there was a slight whisper in the deepest alcove of their minds… of their hearts.

_You're lying…_

_You're lying…_

Doubt was whispering so faintly that they both couldn't hear it. But they felt it. They felt the wrongness of the word. However, they couldn't understand what they felt, and so they set it aside as if it was nothing… as if it was just part of their imagination.

"Do you know that you're the only one I allowed to hurt me?"

Hitomi reached out a hand to touch his face fleetingly. "Yes."

"How?"

"It seemed so off to see you get emotionally hurt. It looked so wrong."

It seemed to take a long time before Dilandau spoke again. "I'm pathetic, do you know that?"

She smiled faintly. "Of course I do. I taught you how to become pathetic. And I hate the fact that you let me teach you. I think I should just yell at you until you realize that you shouldn't let me ruin you like this."

He didn't answer at first. And he looked as if he was thinking of what to say to her. She just watched him though, giving him the time, the hand that touched his beautiful face now resting between their very close forms on the bed.

"It's strange. I didn't know friendship could do this… ruin each other."

A pain flashed so quickly in her emerald eyes, not at all recognizable in the dimness of the room. "It doesn't, Dilandau. So maybe we got it all wrong. So maybe it's just right that we go back to how everything was."

"We stop being friends?"

"No. But we stop being around each other."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds. "I never had someone like you. Even when you boss me around… I'm comfortable with it… like nothing's wrong. It feels so right to always have you around me. I'm confused, Hitomi. If it's so bad, why does it feel so right?"

"I don't know, Dilandau, I don't know."

"Do you feel that way?"

She nodded, her hair rubbing against the pillow her head was resting on. "It's so strange, isn't it? It's bad for us and yet it feels so right."

"Then maybe it isn't bad."

"How do you explain us getting hurt all the time?"

"It isn't all the time, Hitomi. We've had some good times, too. It's just… it's just part of life."

"Yes, it is. But it's too much in such a short time," said the green-eyed girl, her voice having a touch of fleeting sadness. "This is part of growing up… letting go."

"Even if it hurts?"

"Yes. Because it hurts more to hold onto something that only does nothing but cause you pain. You'd feel lesser pain if you let go earlier."

Dilandau was looking at her so closely. "What if it's worth all the pain?"

"What if it's not?"

They stared at each other for a long time, neither feeling uncomfortable at the eye-contact.

"I don't know why even if we're just friends… I don't want to let you go."

Hitomi smiled slightly at what Dilandau said. He was being so different, being so candid in a little boy sort of way. It was almost weird had not the fact that he was also human knocked on her head. "What do you want me to do?"

He looked at her straight in the eye. "Don't leave me."

The silence that punctuated his words was filled with so much emotion that it was hard to distinguish whether it was good or bad.

"I trust you so much that I don't even understand it. You're the first one I believed in so much to help me feel alright all the time," said Dilandau after such a long time. "Do you know what I feel right now?"

She didn't answer.

"I feel like I'm a five-year-old kid lost in a big shopping mall all alone."

It struck her how unconsciously she could read him far better than anyone. She couldn't understand why she had such a strong link to him.

"And this girl found me, asked me if I was lost and promised to bring me back home and make everything okay." He forced a sigh back. "Then in the middle of her promise, she told me she have to go home. I don't want to let her go because then, I'll be alone again… I'll be so lost again."

Very unconsciously, her tears started to fall and mingle with the strands of her hair, with the fabric of the pillowcase. It was unnoticeable in the murkiness they were in. But he seemed to have instinctive impulses about it for he reached out and touched the corner of one of her eyes, withdrawing his hand thereafter as if he was just confirming something he knew very well.

"I told her not to go but she had to, she said. Because if she didn't, the bus would leave her and she'd be stranded. And then I told her I'll tell my family to allow her to stay with us, that I'd take her to my home if she showed me my way back, that I'd take her to my home if she were left by the bus and had nowhere to go to. I told her all that because I trusted her… I felt comfortable with her even if she was a stranger because…"

He trailed off as if he had realized something that he was desperately trying to understand for a long time. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly and he tensed up, making her wonder what she did wrong.

For a long time, neither said a word. They just lay on the bed, so close, side by side. They were there so close, but both wondering what the other was thinking… was feeling.

"Because I…" Dilandau trailed off once more, continuing only in his mind. 'I fell in love with the stranger guiding me back.'

"Tell me, Dilandau," she said in an almost pleading voice.

"I can't. Because I don't know what happened then. I can't tell you why because I don't know if she left me on my own."

Guilt gnawed at her.

_Absconder…_

_Escapee…_

_Deserter…_

_You left him…_

_You will leave him…_

Her silence made him wonder.

"Did she?"

She couldn't reply for she didn't know the answer, not now when everything was once again turning upside-down.

The silence killed him, little by little. And the nagging voice of doubt settled on him.

_She doesn't love you…_

_She loves Allen…_

_She's not happy with you…_

_But she is with Allen…_

_They'll go back together…_

_Go back to how it all was…_

_And then you'll be alone…_

_Alone…_

_Like you always have been…_

"I want to take your pain so you wouldn't be hurt anymore. Why won't you let me? Why are you running away when I want to help you now?" He asked in a voice heavy with pain. 'Why can't I keep you?'

"Because I don't want you hurting for me."

He closed his eyes tightly, desperately forcing back the tears that stung his eyes so suddenly.

"When she found you, you were a strong little boy," she said, softly continuing his story. "Cocky, domineering but strong… then you grew dependent on her that you didn't even want to protect yourself anymore… that you grew so used to her that you trusted her so much… so much that she can hurt you with just one decision. The time came that she had to go away. There were two choices left, she stays and makes you even more vulnerable, or she goes on the bus to make you strong once again." She paused for a long time. "What do you think did she choose?"

He didn't say anything, just closed his eyes tighter, already knowing the answer.

"She left… because then you'd find the strong little boy in you once again. You'd grow up and find your way back on your own."

"Did she want to leave?"

There was a long silence and his heart sank. But then, when she spoke, her answer gave him hope.

"No, because she knew she would miss the little boy who was troublesome at first but was actually a nice little one."

"Then why did she leave?"

"Because she had to."

"I don't understand."

She looked at him with pleading eyes. "Do you know what she said when she was saying goodbye to the little boy and he didn't want her to go?"

"No."

"She said that sometimes, you have to let others go their own way so that you can also go on your own. Sometimes, you have to let others go because that's part of life… you can't just stand in the middle of nowhere crying because you were left alone. You have to also live for yourself."

"But I don't want to be alone again."

A painful tightening was upon her chest and it was becoming harder and harder for her to breath without sobbing. She couldn't stop herself from reaching out and stroking his hair, so softly, so comfortingly. The softness of his silver tresses caressed her fingers back. And as strange as it was, it helped soothe her raging emotions.

It was strange.

She wanted to offer him comfort by the touch, and yet, she was the one comforted.

"You're not alone, Dilandau. Even as you don't know the sea of faces in the shopping mall, you can also get to know them. If you weren't able to keep the girl, maybe you'd be able to keep others."

"I read one of what you wrote," he said suddenly. "You said you wish you can keep me. I'm letting you… but why won't you?"

She kept running her fingers through his hair. Again and again that it felt so familiar to her. "If keeping you will hurt you far worse than letting you go, I wouldn't want to keep you. You're not alone. In reality, you have your family and your friends. Before I came here, you had them. Even when I leave, they'll still be here… maybe they are the ones who could bring you back, not the girl who is a stranger to you."

"You're really leaving then."

She nodded, hints of sadness visible on her face. But he didn't see it, for he still had his eyes closed, afraid to open them only to find out that even this last moment with her was just a dream.

The room fell almost silent. The faint sound of Hitomi's sniffing was the only thing heard. Even his breathing was almost too quiet. But then, he opened his eyes. His red orbs were gleaming faintly with unshed tears as he gazed straight to her eyes, rubies against emeralds.

"Before you go, tell me something… anything… that I could believe in. I don't care what it is. Just tell me what to believe in."

It was a long time before she finally answered. "Hope, Dilandau… hope that you'd still find your way back on your own, without the stranger girl who found you… hope that you can still have faith that others wouldn't leave… hope that things will turn out alright… just simply hope."

They looked at each other for a long time until finally, Dilandau nodded. He lifted the covers once more and waited until Hitomi moved closer to him. She smiled faintly at him and he smiled back, engulfing her slim frame in his warm and protective embrace.

She welcomed the hug and moved closer, her forehead resting on his chin and her hands clutching at his shirt so tightly as if she never wanted to let go.

As like the few previous times she was in his embrace, his warmth and smell was lulling her to sleep. At such a close proximity, she could faintly hear his heart beating so steadily and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. Finally, she gave up and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her away.

When her breathing was even enough to assure him she was asleep, one of his hands found their way to her hair. He stroked much like she did before, seeking comfort in the simple contact.

"I hope someday I'll make it back… make it back to you," he said.

His warm breath caressed her hair and she moved closer to him unconsciously. He smiled faintly. Hitomi had obviously spent much time soaking in her bubble bath. Her nice scent was taking over his senses. A bit later, he had fallen asleep, still holding her so closely and a hand still in her silky honey-brown tresses.

~tbc~

**Author's Note: **Like before, I'm sure you wouldn't even remember what you said in your reviews so I guess there's no use in replying ^^, Anyhow, it's been a month. Life had been tough on me. And well, it was draining my mind that even when I had concepts on the story, they all slip away. Not to worry, I 'm going to finish this. But it'd probably end on the part three unless you are all willing to go for a take four on this series. For now though, **thanks for sticking with the story. Thanks for everything ^^,**


	10. Wherever You Will Go

**Title:** Intruder Alert 3: Transition

**Author: **Frostmourne

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me… and the song belongs to its respective owner (the song's performer is the Calling)

**Chapter Dedication: **Faraday, Night of the Raven, Jounin, the original esca chick, Magicman/Smokegirl, dilly-sammas luver, dreamingofflyingaway, megami04, one_mean_rabbit, mel_88, Dark-Dreams-69, koneri, Feathers of Snow: Honeypot, Kat-Tastrophe, princess neptune, blue ice 2, rach, Fuzzie, Dark Keeper, angelized, Diesty-chan, Catelina,                 (my always anonymous reviewer), roselle, Michey, Mad Meg Askevron, Blue Demon, bebopin'-dreamer, windsoffortune, Izzy, prima, L 0 K I, steves-girl, Kagome, Deaths Demon, Dilanda, Anthius  and Luna Pluto

**Summary:** Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.

**Author's Note: **This is a special season ender coz it's well, a song-fic type of chapter. Anyhow, this is the last chapter of season three. I may be doing a part four but for some who wants it ended here, I guess this is it. For others who want to continue, well I've got something in stored for you though I still have to organize the events I have in mind. **It's been a long way and I want to thank all of those who gave me reviews throughout the entire story. Without those feedbacks, I wouldn't have continued writing. Thank you so much for everything.**

On another issue, **I am going to have a new fiction **while I'm still organizing the events of IA 4: Chances. The other fic is (no surprise about it) **a DH**. It's entitled **Against All Odds**. I have the entire storyline figured out but I'm still writing the chapters. I hope you'd also support it like you did the IA Series. I'd really appreciate it and it will add to my enthusiasm in writing ^^,

By the way, **I registered my penname in friendster**. I hope you'd add me up so we can have an even more concrete contact with each other. I invited those who are in my mailing list But it seems that friendster invite thingie only invited four in those e-mails I invited and I'm not even sure who among those e-adds are not there. For others who I don't have the e-mail addresses, my e-mail add is **hazyz_mind@yahoo.co.uk**

            **Once again thank you. ^^, Hope you all like this one.**

**Special Season Ender**

**Chapter 10: Wherever You Will Go**

Hitomi was going back to America and nothing would change that fact. But he couldn't seem to accept it even after she came to him a week ago and they had talked.

Having her in his life had been one of the best things that happened to him and when he realized that she meant so much to him, she had to leave. He couldn't get it at all why his life always seemed to plunge down whenever he'd think that everything was going to be alright.

When he had started to notice his gradual change around Hitomi, he just shrugged it off as if it was nothing. Even with Celena, Van and his other friends' constant comments on it, he didn't give a second thought about it. It was nothing, he had thought. But when he was gradually accepting it through much mental and emotional struggles, everything was plunging down so fast. And he couldn't do anything at all.

Another chance came but it ended up much like everything. He couldn't have her and it was eating him up inside.

They had made such a good team even if they didn't start out as friends. And for him, it had reached a point where he couldn't help but wonder if she could find someone… someone who'd change everything just for her… just because he loved her.

**So lately, been wondering**

**Who will be there to take my place**

**When I'm gone you'll need love**

**To light the shadows on your face**

So much in such a short time… 

They had been through so many trials and when he looked at it, they've changed so much from the original teenagers who wanted nothing more than just to annoy each other. They had become so different from what they were.

He had wanted to break her spirit at first. But whenever he had seen glimpses of her broken self, he was affected in a different way. Instead of feeling triumphant, he felt so helpless… helpless at not knowing what to do to ease her pain. It had been painful for him to see her hurting and he wanted nothing more than just take her vulnerability and make it his own… to shield her from what would hurt her.

Even when he tried to fight the change that was happening to him, he couldn't. It was a futile fight… a very futile one. She was always there, in his head… in his heart… in him. He couldn't win against her and it had him confused. He had to struggle hard to understand what was happening and then his torturous struggling had had an answer during their talk last week.

He was falling for her…

He had fallen for her…

And he is still falling deeper for her…

But that didn't change anything.

Even with their tussle on their problems together, she would still leave. Even when they had been in one heck of a roller coaster ride of their lives together, they would have to part ways.

He had been so used to her presence even in such a short time. Maybe it was because they spent so much time together… hating and annoying each other, enjoying each other's presence, helping each other understand the other and even themselves. Even when she always got him in trouble and in so many fights, it still made everything bad they felt for each other change… just being together made every difference.

It was almost hard for him to imagine how he would be without her… how she'd be without him.

**If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all**

**Then between the sand and stone**

**Could you make it on your own**

He wanted to make her stay even when she said that she had to go. He'd ask his father to send him to America to study… but there was still Allen. The guy would always be there. Between him and Allen, Hitomi would choose the blonde not him. And that was another blow.

Hitomi had said what he was to her last week. She didn't want him to be hurt because he was her friend. Just a friend…

If Hitomi would stay, he'd change everything he could for her. If he had to be one of the school outcasts just to be with her, he'd willingly lose his popularity. If he could change her status in school, he'd do it even if he'd need to get himself in trouble. If he had to be a pathetically sappy guy, he'd be one even if it kills him.

But nothing he could do would change anything at all. Even if he followed her to the ends of the world, she'd still never choose him.

**If I could, then I would**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

**Way up high or down low**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

He found it both funny and irritating that things take on a new meaning through the eyes of someone who's in love. If Hitomi had been just a friend, he wouldn't really feel the pain of her leaving… he wouldn't look at this as a big problem.

It was a mistake to fall for her but then, she was his favorite mistake if there was such thing at all.

What was it that made him fall for her? She wasn't that pretty. Clover was more than her, physically speaking and still he had chosen Hitomi. She wasn't that nice either and she would, without second thoughts, attack him when she was pissed off. She didn't even have the perfect figure since she was so thin that she looked like she'd break any moment.

He could list so many things about her that wasn't so impressive but still, he couldn't convince himself not to love her. When he held her the last time, he held on as if he didn't want her to go. She did, too but in the end, she still had to go.

But even when she had to go, he was still hoping that there was this chance that he could keep her, maybe not now but someday.

There was this pain pounding him at the thought that he wouldn't be around anymore to comfort her when she's hurt, when she's crying… when she's alone.

He had been around her whenever she'd reach her limit… when he was asking her to the dance… when the rumors of her cheating and changing grades started… when she cried in the closet because she missed her friends… when her relationship with Allen fell apart…

He wanted to be there for her all the time. And if he can't keep her now, maybe he could try someday. When the chance comes, he'd never let it go because he had something to fulfill to himself and to Hitomi… he'd be there for her.

**And maybe, I'll find out**

**A way to make it back someday**

**To watch you, to guide you**

**Through the darkest of your days**

"Dilandau?"

He looked up from the shape-casting lamp he was staring at and noticed that Celena was standing beside him.

"Aren't you going to see Hitomi off?"

He shrugged. "I don't think I can watch her go."

"You talked to her."

"It doesn't change anything. She made me understand but it's not enough. So what if this is part of growing up? We've been through much more things."

"That's the point. So you should know that this isn't the end."

"I'm not going to see her again."

"Don't say that. The world is small. And maybe she knows someone who knows someone who knows you or something. Maybe on some party, that someone would bring her around and then you two will see each other. Come on. There are a lot of possibilities."

'I hope so,' he thought silently.

**If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all**

**Then I hope there's someone out there**

**Who can bring me back to you**

"Tell me honestly… do you---"

He laughed bitterly. "Do you remember that she always wanted to slap me?"

"…yeah…"

"And I always said that the day I allow her would be the day that… Isn't it funny? I do… I do love her and I just have to realize it too late."

She bit her lower lip. "Well, love can work out at times… but when it doesn't and it just hurts you…"

"I should let go. She pretty much said the same thing, although it was in terms of friendship."

It was obvious to Celena. Her brother was faking things again. He wasn't really calm inside like he was on the outside. She knew it.

"She came to you when you least expected her to, and she's now leaving you just as unexpectedly. So maybe quite unexpectedly, she'd also come back."

He shook his head. "The first time I fell in love, I got hurt. The first time I dreamed of being with someone, I failed at making that dream a reality. How pathetic can I be?"

"You're not pathetic, Dilandau."

He scoffed. "You're just saying that because you're my sister. Tell me, Celena, why is it that the love you can't have is always the strongest to survive and to hurt? And why is it that no matter how hard or how strong you love someone, they can't seem to feel even just a part of that love you feel for them?"

"You can't dictate on your feelings or anyone's feelings for that matter. All you can do is just be true."

"It hurts being true."

"Not all the time."

They fell silent then. Celena was frustrated beyond belief. Hitomi was going to leave soon and Dilandau looked as if he was planning on not seeing her even for the last time.

"Do you want to be with her at all?" She asked finally.

He looked at her with a surprised expression. "What kind of question is that? Do I look like I'm enjoying the fact that she's leaving?"

"Well you're not doing anything but just brood! Even for the last time, do you want to be with her or not?"

Staring at his sister, he began to see her point.

**If I could, then I would**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

**Way up high or down low**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

"Well?" She asked impatiently.

He nodded.

"What is she to you then?"

"Everything."

"If she leaves?"

"She leaves with a part of me."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I can't see her walk away."

"I'm not asking you to see her walk away."

"Then what?"

She rolled her eyes. "Frankly, Hiko's right. You're so blind. And to think you're my brother. Let's go over something again. If she leaves… what?"

He frowned and didn't answer.

"Dilandau! Stop being so stubborn and just play along until it hits you! Now… if she leaves… what?"

With an exasperated sigh, he answered. "She leaves with a part of me."

"So if she leaves with a part of you…"

He looked at her blankly.

She huffed angrily. "Then it's just right that she returns that part of you someday even as just friends! But the point is, she's bound to be back and until that time, she'll be keeping a part of you with her. So…"

Dilandau rolled his eyes. "Celena, go play your games with someone else. I'm not in the mood to play that game and I never will be."

Like an upset little girl, she stomped her foot irately. "Stupid! Why don't you say goodbye to that part she'll be carrying with her until she brings it back to you one day?!"

He looked at her sharply. "Because she'll never be back!"

**Run away with my heart**

**Run away with my hope**

**Run away with my love**

"How can you be so sure?"

"How can YOU be so sure?" Dilandau countered back.

"Doesn't it mean anything at all that she came here to talk to you and make you understand even when you're just plain friends? If you'll say that she's just being nice, think again. Does Hitomi play nice when she's blamed for something she's not really at fault at? It wasn't her fault that she's going to be sent back and yet she came here to pacify you when it's clearly not her obligation to!"

"It doesn't mean anything!"

"It does! She left you with something like a clue!"

He suddenly forgot what he was going to retort to his nagging twin. And his hand reached for the pendant on his chest. Lifting it up, he looked at it closely. It was a pink stone-like crystal that seemed to glow with an inner light.

When he had woken up the morning after they had talked a week ago, he found it with a letter on the place where she had been on his bed.

_Hello old man._

_I had this since I was in grade school. I saw it in a jewelry shop and everyday I always go to that shop to see it. I liked it so much more each day that I spent all my savings and five months of my allowance just to have it. It's very important to me and you must be wondering why it's with you._

_I want you to keep it until I come back for it and fulfill my promise. If I don't… then you'll always have a part of me that you know I treasure so much. Every time you see it then, you'll be reminded that even if I broke my promise of not leaving you… I never really did break it… because I left you with a very important part of me to stay with you all the time._

_In a week, I will leave for __America__ and I might never see you again. I know you wouldn't want to come see me off so I'll understand. I just hope that even when the pendant looks girly, you'll wear it when we meet someday… because it would mean that you have forgiven me for leaving._

_Do you know that I sound like I treat you so much more than a friend? Well, I don't care because I just know you're important to me just like that pendant I'm leaving in your care. You'll always have a special place in me, Dilandau. And I hope that I have in you, too._

_The barbaric ogre._

"S***!" He exclaimed so loudly and so suddenly that Celena was startled. "I'm wearing it and I'm not even showing that I do mean wearing it."

"What?" Celena asked, looking at her brother like he grew another head.

"I don't want her to go but I have to. All I have left is a chance to show her I understand and that I still trust and believe in her and I'm here feeling sorry for everything!"

"Huh?"

He looked at his sister seriously. "Do I still have time to see her?"

"Uh, yeah," she answered, still puzzled at the way her brother was acting.

"Are you coming?"

"Where?"

Dilandau rolled his eyes. "Never mind."

He walked towards his desk and grabbed his keys before walking out the door.

"Where are you going?" Celena asked before he can completely leave the room.

He looked back and smiled for the first time in many days. "To see Hitomi off until she comes back."

With that he was gone, leaving his twin looking puzzled at what happened.

**I know now, just quite how**

**My life and love might still go on**

**In your heart, in your mind**

**I'll stay with you for all of time**

He had been lucky that when he arrived, he saw Hiko walking towards him.

"It took you long enough," Hiko commented. "I knew you'd come. I've been scouting the main entrance since an hour ago."

Dilandau smirked. "It seems to me you're on my side."

Hiko grinned and then shrugged. "Hey, I'm just being true. Well, prince charming, let the wise wizard take you to the ogre."

They both laughed.

"Shouldn't it be a princess or something?" Dilandau asked, still amused.

"Nah. I think she suits being an ogre more than a princess." Hiko then stopped. "There she is," he said as he pointed to a place a few meters away from them where Hitomi stood hugging her parents in goodbye. "Come on. Her flight is almost up. For a prince charming, you sure are a late comer."

Dilandau just shook his head. Hiko was dead frank.

When they neared, Hitomi looked both surprised and happy to see Dilandau.

"You came," she said as she, without any qualms, threw herself to Dilandau.

Mr. Kanzaki coughed. Hitomi and Dilandau were sure strange. They didn't look a bit like they hate each other. In fact, they almost looked as if they were in love.

"Dear, let's give them the rest of the little time left," Mrs. Kanzaki suggested as she pulled her husband away.

Hiko was grinning widely as he looked at Dilandau hugging Hitomi back. With a shake of his head, he followed his parents.

"I thought…" Hitomi mumbled as she drew away and then saw the pink pendant on Dilandau's chest. She looked up questioningly at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course I forgive you, ogre."

They stood there so near each other for some time, just simply enjoying their last time together.

"So this is it then," Dilandau said quietly after a while.

She smiled. "I guess so."

They stood silently for a few more minutes, neither noticing anyone but each other. At length, Hitomi's flight was called over the speakers. She debated for a while before leaning up to him and giving him a quick feather-light kiss on his lips.

He was shocked and he couldn't move even when she walked away, other people obscuring her away from him. But then something in him told him that he needed to say something very important to her… that somehow it's worth a shot. So he ran, pushing through throngs of people.

She had just entered the area he wasn't allowed to be in and he almost lost hope. But he couldn't. Not now at least.

"Hitomi!" He shouted.

**If I could, then I would**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

**Way up high or down low**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

She stopped and turned back.

If he had just quit being stubborn in denying his feelings, then maybe he could have had Hitomi. But dwelling on what could have been would not help him now. He had to just make use of what he had… hope… hope for another chance… even if it was a chance in a million.

"Maybe someday?" He yelled his question, ignoring the attention that people were giving them.

Hitomi smiled. And before she turned and walked away for good, he knew very well what the words her mouth formed in a whispered answer to his heart…

**If I could turn back time**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

**If I could make you mine**

**I'll go wherever you will go**

"Maybe someday."

**I'll go wherever you will go**


End file.
